OCU Group - Annual Report 2025

Strategic report

OCU Group | Annual report and financial statements 2025

Governance

Financial statements

Reducing our environmental footprint Environmental

Build with nature in mind

Use materials responsibly

Partnering: We have recently partnered with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Berks, Bucks & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT). As ‘Investors in Wildlife’ for BBOWT and ‘key partners’ with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, OCU Group plays an active role in supporting vital conservation projects across these regions. Collaboration: We have strengthened our working relationships with skilled ecologists, which has helped us build trust with our clients and regulators, and gain permits and exemptions efficiently. For example, our water team was commissioned by Welsh Water to undertake emergency 70-metre water pipeline replacement works across the River Adu Ddu in Conwy, North Wales. The project included tree trimming, temporarily damming the river, over-pumping of dammed water, fish rescue activities, excavation of the riverbed and riverbank, water pumping, and reinstatement. The OCU team successfully used electrofishing to briefly stun the fish, allowing them to be safely relocated. The rescue was a complete success with no fish mortality. Goals for the next financial year • Create a robust process to make sure opportunities for nature are considered at every step of our gated lifecycle. • Foster relationships with biodiversity, nature‑based solutions and ecology specialists.

Supplier sustainability plans: Acknowledging the vital part our supply chain plays in the delivery of our strategy, we have reached out to our top suppliers and are working with them to develop sustainability plans that are aligned to our strategy. Repurposing road furniture: We have expanded our recycling operations in partnership with Cusack. In the last financial year, we diverted 24.6 tonnes of traffic management road furniture from landfill, saving 58 tCO 2 e. The cones and barriers are collected, cleaned, sorted by plastic type, and chipped into granules to manufacture new products. These recycled barriers are then used by OCU Traffic Management across the UK. Excavated material strategy: We are actively collaborating with our supply chain partners to enhance the recycling of excavation waste, following the WRAP Quality Protocol. Our goal is to produce aggregates from all our inert waste. Additionally, we have initiated a trial to use recycled aggregates with one of our digital communications clients in the upcoming financial year to help expand their use in street works. Site-won materials: Within remote energy programs we look to use borrow pits for our aggregates where possible. On the Pencloe wind farm projects we have used approximately 350,000t of aggregate directly from site. With the aggregates all obtained on site, the carbon emissions from transportation are eliminated and our impact on the local road network reduced with less traffic congestion and fewer emissions. Goals for the next financial year • Carry out water audits at our main facilities and offices. • Embed sustainability plans with our top suppliers. • Carry out trials of recycled aggregates within our street works.

Overview The use of materials and generation of waste are inevitable, but we are dedicated to responsible material usage. We understand the environmental impact of materials throughout their lifecycle – from extraction and manufacture to transport, use, and disposal. Therefore, we strive to choose materials that minimise environmental harm and benefit local economies and communities. This includes selecting materials with lower embodied carbon, sourcing locally, and ensuring they are certified as responsibly sourced. Key achievements We strive to minimise landfill waste, estimating that less than 1% of our non-hazardous waste ends up in landfills. We acknowledge the need to progress from this point and embrace more circular economy initiatives to preserve the value of materials as much as possible. OCU Group has already implemented several initiatives to reduce waste and promote responsible material usage: Waste champions: We have appointed waste champions within our business to promote the reduction and appropriate recycling of waste at our sites and offices.

Biodiversity, encompassing the variety of life on Earth, is crucial in combating climate change by both mitigating its effects and helping us adapt. Nature-based solutions, that aim to manage stormwater, improve air quality and regulate temperature, also serve as effective carbon sinks. Beyond climate, biodiversity is essential for food production, health and wellbeing, medicinal resources, and cultural significance. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a rapid decline in nature, with UK species declining on average by 19% since 1970. By integrating nature into our infrastructure, we have the chance to prevent further loss and achieve a net gain in biodiversity. Therefore, we are committed to building with nature in mind. Key achievements OCU Group has already made some inroads on our biodiversity journey: Directional drilling: We have assessed the environmental benefits including the carbon footprint of our trenchless drilling operations which enables us to dig under ancient woodlands, watercourses, and other ecologically sensitive sites without significantly impacting the biodiversity.