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.

Limited environmental impact

Our goal is to gradually reduce our carbon footprint and achieve net zero emissions from all of SKB’s operations by 2040. 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.

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 the extension in Forsmark, and also around existing facilities and in 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 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.