In June 2021, Kirstin McCarthy joined Aggregate Industries.
Welcome to Kirstin McCarthy, who joins ExCo team as our Sustainability Director, an exciting role to help deliver our ambition of becoming a leading sustainable business. Find out more about her career: https://t.co/xC95ylJoe5 #Construction #PeopleMoves pic.twitter.com/wIy84wSUTw
— Aggregate Industries (@AggregateUK) June 7, 2021
She had joined from Birmingham Airport, "where she worked in environmental management for more than 20 years and was head of sustainability for the past six."
The position was new for Aggregate Industries. CEO, Dragan Maksimovic, proudly proclaimed:
This appointment is placing us in a unique position at the forefront of our industry and we must continue challenging ourselves to continuously reduce our carbon footprint through innovation, commitment and personal accountability.
Ms McCarthy added:
I look forward to making my mark as the newest member of the executive committee and contributing to building a greener, smarter world for all.
Six months later, Kirstin McCarthy came to County Hall in Exeter, to present to the councillors on the Development Management Committee, who were determining Aggregate Industries’ long-running planning application to quarry Straitgate Farm – see 24 minutes into this video.
Despite being new to the minerals industry, she was one of only two speakers put forward by Aggregate Industries. Clearly the company feared the proposal’s sustainability – or lack of – might be an issue.
My name is Kirstin McCarthy and I am the sustainability director at Aggregate Industries. I sit on the executive committee and I’m responsible for improving and accelerating our sustainability performance. I took a key interest in this application owing to some of the environmental concerns raised by the community. I have personally reviewed the environmental statement and feedback to date. My role here today is to provide assurance that this scheme will not have the detrimental effect that has been described by some of our objectors and most importantly I am here to listen to the concerns raised by our neighbours so that we can understand what work is required with the community to hopefully allay some of these fears.... etc etcStraitgate is sustainable because it’s about Devon making its contribution to the mineral supply in an environmentally responsible manner
Stirring words, but there was nothing about the wholly unsustainable 2.5 million miles in total that material would need to be hauled for processing, at a plant 23 miles away.
That thorny issue had been greenwashed away in a S106 agreement that came to light a few days before the DMC meeting. No doubt fearing a backlash from decision makers, Aggregate Industries had committed to only using HVO biodiesel in the HGVs and onsite equipment.
Fantastic news you might think, but some studies put HVO worse than regular diesel when changes in land use are accounted for. Even so, it has hefty financial implications, given the price premium of HVO, the intensive haulage plan, and the 7mpg or less managed by HGVs.
What part Ms McCarthy played in the HVO decision, what mark she made as newest member of the executive committee, we will never know, but despite this commitment, and others, her presentation plainly didn’t cut it with councillors, who voted to refuse Aggregate Industries plans by 5 votes to 0, with 3 abstentions.
Of course, as we all know, the company appealed and a Public Inquiry was held in 2022, which led to the decision being overturned.
Elsewhere in the construction world, in December of that year, another sustainability director was being appointed – in this case Anna Baker at Kier Construction:
Anna’s drive to really make a difference and proven ability to see the big picture will complement the work being done across the Group to achieve our targets in sustainability.
Anna Baker added:
This is an exciting time to join Kier, a business I’ve long admired. With so much great work already underway, I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to the role and leading on the next steps of Kier’s sustainability journey for the Construction business.
The exciting times didn’t last. This month, little more than a year later, we find Anna Baker has joined Aggregate Industries as its Sustainability Director.
Anna brings more than 20 years’ experience in sustainability within the construction industry and is responsible for accelerating the company’s journey to net-zero before 2050.
Kirstin McCarthy, has moved on to sunnier climes:
I’m happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Director of Sustainability at Sandals Resorts International!
And who can blame her?
This now means that – together with the Quarry Manager – both of Aggregate Industries' representatives at the 1 December DMC meeting have left the company. No wonder we asked:
Is there anybody left working at Aggregate Industries who has played a meaningful part in putting together the plans to quarry Straitgate Farm?
Commenting on her new role, Ms Baker said: ‘Aggregate Industries is a future-focused and innovative company with sustainability at the heart of its vision. I’m thrilled to be joining this business and look forward to working alongside the talented teams here to deliver an ambitious sustainability agenda that will add real value for our customers and communities.’
