RISING STARS MEET THE FUTURE Stephanie Palmer, head of sustainability at Wienerberger UK What is your current role?


I’m the head of sustainability at Wienerberger UK.


How did you get into this industry? I wanted to work with companies that have the potential to reduce their impact on climate change. Working with heavy industry was particularly appealing as they presented more of a challenge than companies already far along their sustainability journey. We’ve made good progress at Wienerberger UK, so I feel I’m in the right place.


What does a typical day for you at work look like?


There isn’t really a typical day. My role varies from visiting factories for meetings to engaging with community members, developing strategy, and resource planning. I also engage with civil servants on policy development, collaborate with trade associations, and provide training and mentoring internally. Along with these responsibilities comes the standard sustainability professional duties of data analytics and reporting.


What are your big challenges in this role? The main challenge is staying focused on projects and decisions that will have a material impact and not getting caught up in administrative tasks. While things like carbon emissions accounting and verification are important for understanding baselines and progress, the audit itself is just a means to an end - it’s what you do with the information that really counts. It’s also easy to get worn down when working in sustainability roles over the long term because meaningful change takes time, so it is important to celebrate the small wins that are part of the bigger picture.


What do you think has been your biggest achievement in your role?


Increasing engagement around the company and securing extra resources to implement change. The fact that sustainability is now seen as valuable work and part of the decision-making agenda is a significant achievement.


What would you like to achieve next? To incorporate the companies we’ve recently acquired into our sustainability strategy and help them progress on a similar journey,


12


or engineering can bring valuable perspectives to sustainability teams.


tailored to their individual business needs. While some targets can be shared across the businesses, each company has its own distinct sustainability challenges that need to be woven into the regional strategy.


What advice would you give to someone new to this industry?


Explore the range of roles available and talk to as many people as you can about what they do, because roles differ company by company. There isn’t necessarily a set way in - you can move sideways too. Think about your career path and the skills you’ll need, then apply for relevant roles or seek development opportunities.


I would also suggest combining a specialism with general knowledge, as technical backgrounds in areas like finance, marketing,


What would you say to someone who might be thinking about a career or getting a job in the merchant industry? Consider what impact you can have beyond your core responsibilities. Whether you’re in a role providing customer advice, a merchant branch role, or head office position, there are always ways to create positive environmental or social impact. For example, branch staff can become knowledgeable about environmentally friendly products, while head office staff might get involved in recruitment schemes that deliver social value, or consider the sustainability of merchant branch buildings.


Why do you think young people and women are hesitant about this industry? From my experience, the construction industry isn’t really advertised as a career option in schools, creating an opportunity gap in people’s knowledge about the rewarding careers available. There may also be cultural perceptions about who the industry is and isn’t for. The lack of visible role models is another significant hurdle. Both companies and the education sector have a responsibility to raise the profile of construction careers and showcase the range of roles available. BMJ


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net February 2025


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44