A review of construction companies' attitudes to sustainability

In the last decade several initiatives have been taken to encourage the construction industry to support the agenda of sustainable development. On the basis of public disclosures made by companies listed on the UK Stock Exchange this paper reviews current attitudes to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The findings suggest that very few of the major companies positively embrace these ideas. It is subsequently argued that the fragmented and diverse nature of the industry further complicates the transition towards sustainable construction. The conclusion is that even though the construction industry has its own sustainability agenda, relatively few companies have changed their business paradigm.