Gilbert-Ash reports £280,000 community investment as Belfast contractor advances ESG strategy

Belfast construction and fit-out contractor Gilbert-Ash has invested more than £280,000 (€328,000) in charity and community initiatives since 2023, as reported by Insider Media, marking a significant milestone in its ESG Strategy to 2030. The disclosure comes alongside the release of the company's 2025 ESG report and an accompanying video highlighting progress across its four strategic pillars.

Gilbert-Ash's ESG strategy is structured around the UN Sustainable Development Goals and organised under four pillars: People, Planet, Place and Profit. Since 2023, the company has engaged approximately 421 apprentices and invested in excess of 16,500 hours of training for its staff, in addition to dedicating over 5,000 hours to community initiatives.

The firm has also achieved recognition from EcoVadis, the international sustainability ratings platform, placing in the top 35 per cent of companies assessed. EcoVadis evaluates businesses across environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement, making its ratings a widely referenced benchmark in the construction and built environment sector.

Michael Heron, ESG lead at Gilbert-Ash, said: "Our ESG strategy is something that everyone at Gilbert-Ash is focused on. As a responsible business we're passionate about managing our impact in the places we build and beyond. Since 2023, we have dedicated over 5,000 hours to community initiatives, and we are in the top 35 per cent of companies assessed by EcoVadis. We are on course to meet our 2030 targets. The strategy's goal is to create projects which have positive outcomes for our society, the economy and the environment."

Ray Hutchinson, managing director at Gilbert-Ash, said: "Three years into our ESG strategy, our collaborative efforts within the sector have enabled us to achieve 85 per cent of the ambitious targets we set ourselves for 2025. At Gilbert-Ash, we have a talented team of people who embrace the opportunity to drive the positive change that's needed within construction. I thank the team for continuing to raise the bar as we continue our ESG journey, learning and improving at every stage."

With 2025 serving as a benchmark year for the strategy, the company's goals for the year ahead will focus on sustainable procurement practices.

ESG accountability is becoming an increasingly material concern for construction firms operating across public and private sector frameworks in the UK and Ireland, with clients and funders placing greater weight on demonstrable sustainability performance in procurement decisions.

Read the full report and details of Gilbert-Ash's 2030 strategy.