IKO PLC has received PAS 2080:2023 – Carbon Management in Buildings and Infrastructure certification (Certificate No. CAMS 819233) from the British Standards Institution (BSI).
PAS 2080 recognises the full range of IKO solutions, from our wide range of roofing and waterproofing systems right through to our highways and civils systems.
We caught up with our Sustainability Manager, Louis Weir, to discuss what this accreditation means for IKO, how and why we pursued PAS 2080, and the impact this standard will have on the construction industry moving forward.
1. What is PAS 2080, and why is it an important standard for the construction industry?
PAS 2080 is a globally recognised standard for managing carbon in buildings and infrastructure. In simple terms, it gives the construction industry a practical way to measure, manage, and reduce carbon across the whole lifecycle of a project.
It really matters because construction is already under huge pressure. Programmes are tight, design stages are compressed, and teams are expected to make big decisions quickly. Adding time to survey assets for reuse, assess circular options, or properly compare lower-carbon alternatives is hard enough, and even harder when the data is scarce, inconsistent, or opaque. Too often, carbon is considered late based on assumptions rather than evidence.
PAS 2080 is designed to tackle that reality head-on. It connects everyone in the value chain, including clients, designers, contractors, and material suppliers, so these challenges are visible, shared, and addressed early. It pushes projects to set an appropriate programme of works that allows whole-life carbon decisions to be driven by data, not guesswork, and to improve the quality and transparency of that data over time.
Crucially, PAS 2080 also brings credibility. It’s not just good intent; it’s independently verified. For us as a material supplier, our PAS 2080 accreditation includes third-party auditing of our entire carbon management system, including how we carry out Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), produce Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and disclose carbon information. This gives confidence to our customers that the data and processes behind our claims are thorough, consistent, and trustworthy.
2. What does PAS 2080 certification mean in practice for IKO PLC?
It means that we are embedding carbon reduction into our decision-making, governance, and operational processes. Not just setting targets, but putting structured systems in place to deliver meaningful reductions.
Whether that be investing in manufacturing technology or creating systems for our project partners, like the IKO Carbon Calculator, which measures the carbon emissions produced during a specific project’s lifespan.
It’s also a clear signal to our customers and partners that we take our role in the transition to net zero seriously and are committed to continual improvement in carbon management.
From specification support and material supply chain to installation from our nationwide network of approved contractors, on-site technical inspections, and aftercare, we have our finger on the pulse across all of the RIBA work stages. PAS 2080 allows us to provide clarity and accurate information to external stakeholders throughout the RIBA Plan of Work.
3. Why did IKO decide to pursue PAS 2080 certification?
The initial driver came from our infrastructure operations, where National Highways is a key stakeholder and PAS 2080 is embedded within its strategic direction. Aligning with the standard was therefore a logical step.
As we progressed, it became clear that PAS 2080 is equally relevant across our roofing and waterproofing activities. Its focus on whole life carbon management, robust data, and transparency applies to the full product lifecycle, from raw materials and manufacturing through to transportation from our manufacturing locations to site, installation, and end of life.
Certification demonstrates that our carbon management processes are structured and independently verified. With increasing scrutiny around embodied carbon and more clients referencing PAS 2080 within tenders, it strengthens our ability to provide clear, credible carbon data across the value chain.
Ultimately, pursuing PAS 2080 was about formalising our approach, improving data consistency, and ensuring we are well positioned to support customers with transparent, whole life carbon information, including emissions associated with manufacturing and logistics.
4. PAS 2080 focuses on carbon management across the value chain, but what role do product and material suppliers play?
Product and material suppliers sit right at the heart of PAS 2080, as this is where a large proportion of embodied carbon is locked in and where some of the biggest opportunities for change exist.
For manufacturers like IKO, our most critical role right now is data. The industry needs better data quality, more frequent updates, and far greater transparency. Designers and contractors can only make good whole-life carbon decisions if they trust the information coming from the supply chain. That means accurate LCAs, credible EPDs, clear assumptions, and consistency in how data is produced and shared.
Manufacturers also carry a significant responsibility for embodied carbon itself. That’s where innovation and Research and Development (R&D) come in, constantly asking the hard questions around how we dematerialise products, increase recycled content, design for circularity, and extend service life. These decisions directly shape carbon outcomes long before a project ever reaches site.
Because that responsibility is so great, it needs to be governed properly. PAS 2080 provides the management framework to do exactly that, ensuring carbon is considered systematically rather than ad hoc. Our certification confirms that IKO PLC has implemented a PAS 2080-aligned carbon management process as a product and material supplier, giving confidence that our data, processes, and decisions are being independently scrutinised.
We also have our own R&D team to accelerate sustainability-led innovation, building on some strong early examples already coming through the business. Continual improvement isn’t optional – it’s essential. PAS 2080 helps keep that focus in place and ensures suppliers like us are playing a meaningful role in delivering lower-carbon buildings and infrastructure from the very start of the value chain.
5. How will PAS 2080 help IKO reduce embodied carbon in building and infrastructure projects?
PAS 2080 helps us take a structured approach to identifying where carbon emissions occur within our products and processes, and then prioritising actions that reduce those impacts over time.
This includes looking at material choices, manufacturing efficiency, energy use, supply chain engagement, and innovation in lower-carbon product development, like IKO Permatec LI and IKO Permascreed LI.
By embedding carbon management into our operations, PAS 2080 supports our ability to reduce embodied carbon and help our customers meet their own sustainability and net zero goals. In addition, it aligns with our commitment to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
As a responsible UK manufacturer, we are committed to supporting our customers in meeting their net zero goals while reducing our own environmental impact. Our pledge includes achieving a 42% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and targeting net zero emissions with a 90% reduction in Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 2050.
6. What changes or improvements were made internally to meet the PAS 2080 requirements?
Meeting the requirements of PAS 2080 wasn’t about starting from scratch for us; it was about formalising and scaling what we’re already doing.
We’re a values-driven organisation and genuinely pride ourselves on setting standards in the industry. When we developed our sustainability strategy and carbon management processes, they were built around our values of integrity, sharing knowledge, and long-term thinking – long before PAS 2080 entered the picture. By the time we reached audit, our systems were already relatively mature.
The biggest shift was around scale. We focused on developing tools and processes that allow us to apply consistent carbon management across every project in the business, without compromising data quality, controls, or accuracy. That meant tightening governance, strengthening measurement and reporting, and making sure sustainability was embedded across functions, from procurement and operations through to product development and leadership.
PAS 2080 also reinforced collaboration internally. Carbon reduction isn’t owned by one team, and the standard helped formalise how different parts of the business work together to deliver it.
We’re proud that the audit resulted in just two areas for improvement. We don’t see those as negatives; they’re opportunities to get better. More importantly, they demonstrate the level of due diligence and rigour behind how we’ve implemented our carbon management system, and our commitment to continual improvement rather than box-ticking.
7. How does PAS 2080 fit into IKO’s wider sustainability and net zero commitments over the next few years?
PAS 2080 plays an important role in our wider sustainability and net zero journey, not as a replacement for what we’re already doing, but as a real opportunity and potential accelerator.
Our net zero commitment is already set, our plan is published, and delivery is well underway. Those commitments stand on their own. Where PAS 2080 really adds value is in how it enables us to work with customers and clients for whom sustainability isn’t optional, but a requirement. Increasingly, PAS 2080 is expected on large-scale projects and infrastructure schemes where careful planning and carbon management are essential to minimise environmental impact.
In that context, PAS 2080 acts as reassurance. It gives clients confidence that IKO can meet the level of accuracy, governance, and data quality needed to deliver positive carbon outcomes on complex projects. It opens doors to opportunities where strong sustainability credentials are a prerequisite, not a differentiator.
If we’re successful in unlocking those opportunities, PAS 2080 has the potential to accelerate our transition to net zero by driving greater collaboration, better data, and more ambitious carbon outcomes across the value chain. In that sense, it’s not just a standard we comply with; it’s a tool that helps us move faster and further towards our, and our customers’, long-term sustainability goals.
Partnering with IKO
IKO envisions a future where construction and manufacturing are synonymous with sustainability. By integrating ESG principles and prioritising innovation, we aim to create environmental solutions that benefit our customers, communities, and the planet itself.
Ready for more responsible construction? Together, we can build a legacy of innovation and sustainability for the construction industry:
