Sustainability in action: helping build a more sustainable future

Sustainability is becoming increasingly complex for manufacturers, customers and the wider construction industry. From carbon reporting and biodiversity to social value and skills development, businesses are under growing pressure to demonstrate meaningful progress while preparing for future challenges.

Helping navigate those challenges is Tom Rogerson, Sustainability Coordinator at wienerberger UK & Ireland, whose role is helping to ensure that sustainability is embedded into how the business operates and supports its customers.

"My role as Sustainability Coordinator spans the breadth of sustainability, from decarbonisation and biodiversity to social impact and customer-facing sustainability information biodiversity, decarbonisation, social impact and social value. I work across a wide variety of projects that help improve our sustainability performance while ensuring customers have access to reliable information, they can use to support their own environmental goals."

Whether it's improving access to sustainability data, supporting environmental initiatives or creating opportunities for future generations, Tom's work helps turn sustainability ambitions into practical action.

Creating opportunities for people

For Tom, sustainability is about more than environmental performance. It's also about creating positive social impact and helping people reach their potential. One project he is particularly proud of is the Work Readiness Programme, which helps young people with care experience gain valuable exposure to the workplace.

"Through practical experiences and engagement with industry professionals, the programme helps build confidence, develop employability skills and highlight the opportunities available across construction, manufacturing and sustainability.

For me, it shows that sustainability is about people as well as the planet. By helping create pathways into employment, we can make a positive contribution to individuals, communities and the wider industry." 

The programme demonstrates how sustainability can deliver meaningful benefits beyond environmental performance by supporting communities and helping develop the future workforce the industry needs.

Building a clearer picture of environmental impact

Alongside social impact initiatives, Tom has played an important role in strengthening the company's environmental reporting and transparency.

One of the most significant projects he has worked on was wienerberger UK & Ireland's first Scope 3 emissions assessment, completed in 2023. Scope 3 emissions are often among the most challenging aspects of carbon accounting, as they cover indirect emissions generated throughout an organisation's wider value chain.

The project required collaboration across multiple parts of the business and provided valuable insight into where future improvements could be made. 

"It was the first time wienerberger UK & Ireland had undertaken an assessment of this kind, so it required significant collaboration and effort across the business. The project gave us a much clearer understanding of our wider emissions footprint and helped us identify where we can focus future improvement efforts.

"Projects like this are important because better data supports better decision-making. It enables us to improve our own sustainability performance while giving customers confidence that they are working with a manufacturer committed to understanding and reducing its environmental impact."

By building a clearer understanding of the company's wider emissions footprint, the assessment helps inform future action while reinforcing the importance of transparency and continual improvement.

Building the skills needed for tomorrow

Tom's focus isn't limited to today's challenges. He is also helping support the skills, knowledge and strategies that will shape the future.

Recently, he updated wienerberger's Modern Slavery Statement and Carbon Reduction Plan, helping ensure key sustainability information remains accurate, transparent and accessible. At the same time, he is contributing to major projects including the Sustainability Strategy Refresh and the Green Skills Project, which focuses on upskilling employees across the business.

For Tom, these initiatives reflect what makes wienerberger different. 

"What stands out to me is that sustainability isn't treated as a separate workstream. It's integrated into how we operate, how we make decisions and how we support customers. 

"It's embedded within our Growth Strategy 2030 and forms part of our long-term vision for the future. That integrated approach means we can continue improving our own performance while supporting customers as expectations around sustainability continue to evolve."

Finding a career with purpose

Tom's own journey into sustainability began with a passion for geography and a determination to pursue a career that aligned with his interests.

After joining wienerberger in a temporary supply chain role nearly five years ago, he took the initiative to seek advice from Stephanie Palmer, Head of Sustainability at wienerberger UK & Ireland.

"I simply sent an email explaining my passion and asking if we could have a chat. We did, and when the Sustainability Coordinator role became available, I applied for it. The rest is history." 

It's an experience that continues to shape how he approaches his career today.

"I've been working at wienerberger for five years now because I genuinely enjoy the team I work with. The sustainability team is full of inspiring people who are smart, passionate and deeply committed to what they do. That makes a real difference."

Inspiring the next generation

Away from his day-to-day responsibilities, Tom also volunteers as a STEM Ambassador, helping raise awareness of careers across sustainability, construction and manufacturing. His motivation is personal. It was through STEM Ambassadors visiting his own school that he first discovered sustainability as a possible career path.

"Before then, I didn't realise sustainability was a career path I could pursue. I'd like to do the same for other young people by showing them what's possible and why this area of work matters."

When asked what advice he would give to young people considering STEM subjects or careers, his answer is simple.

"Be bold. Don't second-guess yourself and don't hesitate to make contact or send that email. People already working in the industry genuinely want to help and are often happy to offer advice and guidance."

Building for what's next

For Tom, sustainability isn't simply about reporting, compliance or data. It's about helping people make informed decisions, creating opportunities for future generations and supporting meaningful progress across the built environment. 

Whether he is improving environmental transparency, championing social value programmes or inspiring young people through STEM engagement, his work helps turn ambition into action, supporting customers, strengthening communities and helping build a more sustainable future.

Because building for what's next means creating positive impact for people, the planet and the industry as a whole.