Building a sustainable future together, every day!

Roadmap for sustainable construction and operation

SKB’s task is to take care of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste from the Swedish nuclear power plants in a safe and sustainable manner. Together we will build one of the world’s first repository systems for spent nuclear fuel. Safety forms the basis of everything we do, and on our way to our ultimate goal we also have a responsibility to contribute to sustainable development in the long term.

Sustainability work pervades all our operations, and includes everything from limiting our environmental and climate impact on society and having sustainable supply chains, to safeguarding the health and safety of our employees. SKB assumes responsibility for future generations by contributing to sustainable development — economically, environmentally and socially. We work within different focus areas in order to continuously improve where our impact is greatest or where changes can be of the greatest benefit. SKB adheres to and applies the principles of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

We work systematically in accordance with ISO standards for quality (9001), environment (14001), and occupational health and safety (45001), and our management system is certified to these standards. The integrated management system connects our sustainability ambitions with our daily operations.

With a focus on our key areas, we strive for continuous improvement where our impact is greatest or where changes can bring the most benefit. For example, we apply the international standard BREEAM Infrastructure (formerly CEEQUAL) in the project to expand the final repository for short-lived radioactive waste (SFR), with the ambition to certify the facility.

Limited environmental impact

The goal is to gradually reduce the climate footprint and, by 2040, contribute to achieving as close to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as possible from the Vattenfall Group. In order to succeed in this, SKB needs to take the climate aspect into account when planning and designing future facilities and, even now, to plan and introduce energy-efficient, climate-smart solutions for future operations.

SKB’s climate impact during the construction period is primarily divided between the handling of heavy rock masses and the use of construction materials with a climate impact. In order for our business to become more sustainable, we need to increase the use of climate-smart alternatives in transport and construction materials, as well as in our own travelling.

Furthermore, our sustainability work must always take place in such a way that safety is maintained in both the short and long term.

Sustainable use of recourses

SKB aims to become a circular organization by 2030, maximizing the value of the resources we use in all aspects of our operations. Our goal is to ensure responsible management of the natural resources we depend on throughout our entire value chain, in collaboration with our partners and suppliers. This will be achieved through responsible use and reuse.

At SKB, resource efficiency, circular thinking, and sustainability are especially important in the following areas:

Efficient energy use – utilize renewable and non-fossil energy sources, and reduce overall consumption.
Responsible use of natural resources – avoid the use of natural gravel, limit the use of concrete, steel, copper, and bentonite, and minimize impact on valuable water resources/environments as well as the extraction of water and rock materials.
Reduce conventional and hazardous waste sent to landfill – phase out environmentally and health-hazardous chemicals, repurpose excavated rock, and ensure reuse or recycling of by-products and waste.

Personnel, health & safety

World-class health and safety is a strategic priority. We motivate and empower our employees through a strong culture of consideration for everyone working at and for SKB.

SKB must be a healthy and safe workplace. We treat each other with respect for each other’s knowledge and differences. Everyone must feel safe and secure at work, be able to be who they are and have a good work-life balance.

SKB must be an attractive employer and collaboration partner. The health of employees, contractors, suppliers and local residents is a top priority.

Ecosystems and biodiversity

SKB has already been working in this area for many years, especially in and around our planned new facility, and also around existing facilities in Forsmark and Oskarshamn.

SKB works actively to preserve or create valuable habitats – to preserve valuable wetlands, to manage forests with good environmental consideration and to improve the conditions for biodiversity around our facilities.

We work to minimise our impact on the ecosystem and biodiversity, both in general and in respect of individual species. We do this by avoiding or reducing intrusion, impact and consequences for the environment and nature, where possible by means of smart site selection, technical solutions, protection and compensation measures, and by caring for, creating and developing the conditions for sensitive ecosystems and species.

The local community

SKB is and will continue to be an active part of the local community and contribute to positive and sustainable social development. We build on and will maintain the trust we have in our host municipalities, and our work is performed openly and in close dialogue with all concerned.

We want to contribute to attractive host municipalities with a good living environment, good infrastructure, a thriving business community, a high level of education and a lower carbon footprint.

The added value programme provides great opportunities to identify and implement investments that have mutual benefit and contribute to positive and sustainable development in the municipalities.

A sustainable supply chain

SKB will assume responsibility for social and environmental conditions throughout the supply chain and contribute to a positive development of this chain.

This entails that SKB’s requirements for health, safety and the environment will be applied in all procurement processes, so that the entire chain contributes to achieving our sustainability goals. We place great emphasis on reducing our climate impact by — together with our suppliers — focusing on energy-efficient solutions, circularity and climate-smart material choices.

The sustainable supply chain focus area contributes to achieving the goals within our other focus areas for the sustainable development of our operations.