Turtle & Hughes Releases Sustainability Strategy

LINDEN, N.J. — Turtle & Hughes has released its 2021 ESG Report with a bold commitment to drive sustainability throughout its business, and proven environmental solutions for customers, employees, and suppliers.

The company’s pledge to apply its nearly 100 years of innovation to greener energy systems will meet both customers’ requests and new opportunities arising from the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act now under discussion in Congress. If passed, the bill would fund efficiencies and lower-carbon outcomes in public transit, passenger and freight rail, airport, and water projects led by Turtle clients.

“If we hope to achieve U.S. goals of carbon neutral electricity by 2035 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we will need to transform the North American power grid to eventually become 100% renewable. Turtle is proud to meet this historic generational challenge with our engineering and technology capabilities,” said Jayne Millard, Executive Chairman of the Board.

A recent customer survey found that sustainability in Turtle’s products, service and operations was second only to service in what was most important to their partnerships.

In the ESG Report, Turtle lays out its three-pronged sustainability strategy:

• External Clients: Turtle designed and built highly technical, large-scale client solutions that reduce energy consumption and costs, optimize the use and storage of renewable sources, and have enabled the company to re-engineer major infrastructure projects from New York to Los Angeles.
• Internal Turtle: The company supports a hybrid workforce and enhanced operational efficiencies with consolidated office space, and consolidated two warehouses into one state-of-the-art distribution center in New Jersey. Solar power has reduced the carbon footprint in two offices by 55% and 63%; and the company is testing Electric Vehicles in its GPS delivery truck fleet. Employees embrace smart packaging, bundling and waste management practices to achieve their own sustainable goals and those of their customers.
• Partner Suppliers: Turtle & Hughes Integrated Supply (THIS) procures from 10,000 suppliers annually, requiring designations such as Ethical and Environmentally Sound behavior, and training onsite resources on health, safety and environmental standards unique to each facility. As a woman-owned and led company, Turtle provides sourcing opportunities for diverse and women-led businesses including environmental services.

Examples of customized technical solutions for utilities, manufacturing, commercial construction, medical and metropolitan clients are:

• Renewable Microgrid in a Mexican desert. For an international food company, Turtle built a facility integrating solar power, three diesel generators and a megawatt-class battery energy storage system that reduced electricity use by 775,000 kiloWatts per year and improved reliability.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. In a partnership with global leader ChargePoint®, Turtle is working to help them achieve their goal of 2.5 million charging spots by 2025 by developing and implementing charging stations for businesses, residential, municipalities, retail and healthcare facilities.
• Energy-Efficient Transportation Infrastructure. For Massachusetts’ $8-billion 5-year capital investment plan, Turtle’s product and lighting packages are used to renovate stations, modernize fare collection, and improve accessibility. Increasing ridership by 50,000 trips per day significantly reduces vehicle emissions.
• LED Upgrades. For a medical technology company, Turtle upgraded 1,105 inefficient fixtures to LED with integrated occupancy sensors, saving $82,355 and lowering CO2 by 543,633 kilograms, among other greenhouse gasses.

The guiding value of the fourth-generation, family-owned business — that its employees are its most important asset — is evidenced by Turtle’s commitment to diversity, skills development through Turtle University (nearly 30,000 courses available), safety with special wellness programs to help families cope during the pandemic, and employee-guided philanthropic contributions.

“At Turtle, ‘Powering a Better Tomorrow’ is more than a tagline. We are committed to protecting our planet, acting with compassion for those in need, and providing our customers with tools and experiences so they can be their very best in work and life,” said Turtle CEO Kathleen Shanahan.