JN Bentley has published its latest annual review. The review takes a look back on the last 12 months in JN Bentley and its subsidiary design-and-build organisations, Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) and JBA Bentley. 2022 was a year of consolidation and growth for the business. Working on exciting schemes with valued clients across the UK, it was the safest year on record and saw the organisation return to a strong commercial footing. This has led to what is already proving to be a busy 2023 – a year that could see the company surpass £400m revenue for the first time in its history. The review covers core areas of the business – including a focus on people, safety and money. It is packed full of case studies and examples of JN Bentley, MMB and JBA Bentley at their very best, delivering great outcomes for clients and providing a great place to work. We hope you enjoy the read. Read the annual review here We have a small number of printed copies of the annual review available. To request a copy, please email communications@jnbentley.co.uk.

As part of parent company Mott MacDonald’s certification, JN Bentley has achieved carbon neutral status for the very first time after meeting PAS 2060 – the internationally recognised specification for carbon neutrality. Certification follows external verification of JN Bentley’s carbon footprint by the Carbon Trust. This footprint covers emissions from fuel and energy used on construction sites and in offices, plus the operational impact of home working and employee-owned vehicles. One of the first organisations in its sector to achieve independent verification, JN Bentley has achieved carbon neutrality through a combination of effective energy and carbon management and responsible offsetting. Steve Tetlow, JN Bentley director responsible for greenhouse gas emission reduction, said, “We’re pleased to have been certified as carbon neutral following verification from the Carbon Trust. “Certification demonstrates to our clients, suppliers and colleagues that we are taking the carbon challenge seriously and taking meaningful steps on our journey to becoming net zero – something we have committed to achieve by 2040. “In the future we intend to further reduce our footprint through alternative, innovative means such as being operationally ‘green’ and developing low carbon solutions for our clients. “Lots of hard work has gone into achieving certification for the very first time; thank you to everyone involved.” Read our Carbon Neutral Qualifying Explanatory Statement. Details of Mott MacDonald’s journey to net zero can be found on the company website.

JN Bentley has successfully achieved SafeContractor reaccreditation following an annual audit. SafeContractor accreditation demonstrates that JN Bentley continues to meet the highest standards of health and safety management. External verification gives clients, suppliers and colleagues evidence that its systems and procedures are first-class and doing what they are there to achieve - keeping everyone safe in the workplace. Jamie Fitton, QES Director, said, “We are pleased to achieve SafeContractor accreditation for another 12 months. It helps demonstrate that the care and hard work we put into health and safety at JN Bentley is working. “2022 was the best year yet for health and safety at JN Bentley. We recorded our lowest ever all-injury frequency rate – but we recognise that our work is far from done. “We are committed to achieving ZERO injuries are fundamentally believe this is an achievable ambition. “In 2023 we will continue to engage colleagues in health and safety through initiatives and a commitment to ensuring safety is a team game where everyone looks out for each other.” SafeContractor accreditation complements existing accreditations in JN Bentley’s portfolio, including ISO 45001, Achilles UVDB Verify and CHAS – the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme. As well as JN Bentley, accreditation also covers Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) and JBA Bentley. - Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up to date with news from across the business.

Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) has hosted a construction safety assembly with pupils at a school close to a new project in the North-East. With Springwell Village Primary School located nearby to where MMB have been appointed by Northumbrian Water to help build a new £50m+ underground reservoir, the site team recognised the need to engage and educate the local children about the importance of site safety. They considered that many children might not have been exposed to construction sites and delivering an interactive presentation could help to educate them about the dangers. The presentation was given to the entire school, where the team explained their role in construction and emphasised their commitment to keeping the community safe and the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety training. They also engaged the children with a ‘spot the hazards’ activity and asked questions throughout, sparking participation. The team then developed a creative competition for the pupils to design site safety posters; the winning poster from each year group would be displayed on site for all to see. The children thoroughly enjoyed the activities and took the opportunity to ask questions too. The school thanked MMB for the assembly, and the team were pleased to have left the children with a better understanding of site safety and to have established a positive relationship with the community. As schools are often at the heart of many communities, educational visits are important in helping us to promote STEM and engage with local stakeholders so that they understand the purpose of the schemes we’re delivering, ensuring that we leave a positive legacy in our operational areas. An MMB Site Agent recently gave a similar assembly presentation about PPE to over 90 primary school students near to our Project Munio, where we are designing and building a new pumping station for Derby City Council. Close to Cinderford Wetlands, a nature-based solution scheme we’re delivering with Severn Trent Water, two members of the MMB design team spent a day at the local junior school where they engaged in activities with around 200 pupils on the topic of wastewater filtration. Following the assembly, Sarah-Jayne Parvin, Customer Liaison Officer for MMB, commented, “The team were delighted that the presentation was received well by the school children and to see so many engaging with site safety – something that could easily be seen as a ‘boring’ subject! We look forward to continuing to work with the community in the future – their support and involvement are critical to the success of this project.” Operations Director, Tom Lewis, added, “Supporting the communities surrounding our sites is of high importance to us. We work hard to develop lasting and trusting relationships with our customers, acting as ambassadors for our clients (explaining why we are doing the work and the resulting benefits). We encourage our teams to add value to the communities in which we work by utilising their time, skills and expertise where possible. Well done to the team at Springwell for being a great example of this.” Above: The MMB team delivering their site safety presentation for children at Springwell Village Primary School, where we’ve been contracted by Northumbrian Water to build a new underground reservoir nearby – a £50m+ scheme that’ll secure water supplies for thousands of customers in South Tyneside. - Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest news from across the business.

JN Bentley has supported the Mental Health Foundation’s annual Mental Health Awareness Week, which this year focused on an important theme many can relate to: anxiety. Talking about mental health isn’t always easy, but just one conversation has the power to change lives. Colleagues at JN Bentley are regularly encouraged to take a Wellbeing Moment during team meetings to discuss important wellbeing topics, alongside a reminder of the support offered by the company, including a partnership with Able Futures and an Employee Assistance Programme, as well as a network of wellbeing champions and Mental Health First Aiders who are there to provide confidential support. This has also seen a number of colleagues sharing their personal stories and experiences with mental health, to powerful effect. Across offices and sites, throughout the week colleagues took part in initiatives and activities to support the campaign and raise awareness. In Leeds, employees enjoyed a coffee and cake morning, before taking part in a relaxing meditation session at a nearby park square. Office Manager, Katy, commented: "It was lovely - such a great atmosphere. The circle just got bigger and bigger as more people joined!". The office sports and social committee also organised pottery painting as the social event of the month and a meditation session at lunchtime. Everyone can play their part in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, and campaigns such as this highlight the importance of building supportive environments and having open conversations. Above: colleagues in Leeds took part in a meditation session in the park during Mental Health Awareness Week. - Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest news from across the business.

Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) donated their skills, time and expertise to the Pittington community to give their village hall a makeover. In partnership with Northumbrian Water (NWG), volunteers from MMB came together to repaint the village hall, giving back to the local community as thanks for their cooperation whilst critical works were carried out in the area. Part of an £11m scheme, MMB are working with Northumbrian Water to carry out essential work to improve the performance and flexibility of the wastewater network and wastewater treatment works in the Pittington and Sherburn areas. Over the last 11 months, MMB has installed 3.4 kilometres of rising main and gravity sewer from Pittington to Sherburn Sewage Treatment Works. The project also includes the construction of a new pumping station in Pittington and upgrades to Sherburn Sewage Treatment Works. At the heart of the community, Pittington village hall needed a makeover to breathe new life into the building. Volunteers from MMB, NWG and the Pittington community came together to give the hall an update – it’s amazing what a coat of paint and a good bit of elbow grease can do! Gabrielle Ward, Customer Liaison Officer at MMB said: “Thank you to everyone who to took time out of their busy schedules to come and give back to this great community! Thank you to everyone who came along and helped, and also a big shout out to Jodie, the hall manager, for the bacon sandwiches! We had a lovely day helping to give this much loved space in the community a makeover.” Through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach, we aim to make a positive difference by giving back to the communities where we work, by providing our skills, time and expertise to support community projects – and this is a great example of that. Read more about the project here. Follow us on LinkedIn and X to keep up-to-date with the latest news from across the business.

JN Bentley has launched new guidance, providing paid carer’s leave for all employees. It is estimated that the number of unpaid carers in the UK has risen to 10.6 million, meaning that 1 in 5 adults are currently providing care. With 1 in 7 carers juggling work with caring responsibilities, we wanted to take action to help ease some of the emotional and physical strain that being a carer can bring. So that our carers can look after their loved ones while continuing to thrive at work, we have introduced paid carers leave for our colleagues. This means our people can take up to two days leave each year at full pay to cover caring responsibilities for dependants. Joan Tatters is one of our Liaison Coordinators and has previously been a carer. We asked for her thoughts on the introduction of paid leave for carers: “After reading the new carers leave guide, I just wanted to say how great I think it is that JN Bentley are offering this facility. Whilst we can't take a one size fits all approach, the availability of 2 days of paid leave a year is such a positive move for those of us who are carers. “I previously took advantage of the availability of flexible working which was a true relief to me. I had to be mindful of holiday entitlement to fit in appointments, so offering these extra days will certainly help to ease the worries of those currently balancing caring with work commitments.” We hope the introduction of paid carer’s leave will help provide extra support to those balancing their career with caring responsibilities. - Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest news from across the business.

Alan King, JN Bentley Plant Lead, received the community award for outstanding service from Barnoldswick Town Council, after donating almost £1000 to the West Craven Food Bank. Nominated by an anonymous member of the public, Alan was presented with his certificate at the Pride of Barnoldswick Awards alongside other community champions. Since joining the company in 2015 as a Plant Co-ordinator, Alan has progressed to Plant Lead, and now looks after Capex within the procurement team. He’s well known by his colleagues for his keen hobby of running, and last year he decided to set up and lead a Couch to 5k group at him local gym, KL Health Club, to get others moving and help them achieve their running goals. The gym owner wanted to pay Alan for his volunteering, but Alan instead chose to donate the money to the West Craven Food Bank, who support local communities by providing food to those who are struggling to afford it. So far, Alan estimates about £900 has been donated, and following the success of his first group of runners, he plans to continue his 8-week coaching programme to help more people. 12 of those from Alan’s first group are planning to run the Manchester 10k, with another running the Manchester ½ marathon and the Yorkshire marathon. Several members of the group have praised Alan, thanking him for giving them the “confidence, strength and support” to reach 5k and feel better both physically and mentally. Alan told us, “I wasn’t expecting to be nominated for this award – it’s been a lovely surprise. I enjoy getting people active and I feel a sense of satisfaction at seeing others succeed at something they thought they couldn’t achieve. Coaching others is something I take pride and joy in – I don’t do it for money. So it was a no-brainer choosing to donate my earnings to a local charity instead to support my community. I’m very grateful for this award and look forward to continuing my coaching.” Dean Holmes, JN Bentley Director, commented, “This really is a special award and one that Alan should be very proud of. I know he doesn’t do it for the plaudits but they really are well deserved. The work he is doing which is not only supporting his local community but is also having such a positive impact on so many different individuals truly is inspiring – well done Alan.” Councillor Jodie Marie Greaves, chair of the Town Council, who presented the awards, said, “The nominations recognise the outstanding contribution made to the life of the town by people and organisations who go above and beyond. They are well deserved.” Congratulations, Alan! Alan has worked for JN Bentley for 7 years now in the Plant department, based in Skipton. He’s applied for the company’s fundraising matching scheme 5 out of those 7 years, and plants to complete another entry shortly. The scheme recognises employees who volunteer their time to raise money for charity by boosting the funds raised by up to £100. Above: Alan with his certificate. Above: All the winners of the Pride of Barnoldswick Awards 2023 – Alan can be seen top row, third from right. Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up to date with news from across the business

Our Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) team at Bewdley Bank Service Reservoir in Wales were delighted to scoop the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Wales Cymru 'Designed in Wales' award. To increase the resilience of Hereford’s water supply network, we designed and built a 34 megalitre service reservoir at Bewdley Bank for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. The ICE in both the West Midlands and Wales recognised its excellence, awarding the project the Innovation and Designed in Wales Awards, respectively. The latter is presented to the best project designed in Wales and constructed elsewhere (either in the UK or overseas). By taking a procurement-based approach to project delivery, several efficiencies were realised, including an enhanced focus on quality and right first-time delivery. Standard designs already successfully deployed elsewhere in MMB were used where practical and accelerated the design programme. Using supplier expertise and early input minimised re-design further down the line. Our workforce learnt from colleagues’ experience on previous reservoir sites – bringing first-hand knowledge and best practice to work at Bewdley Bank. The design itself incorporated a semi-precast structure which allowed significant programme and health and safety benefits during construction. The judges praised the scheme’s strong sustainability focus with a public health driver at its core and an emphasis on landscape considerations, materials re-use, sustainable drainage, and ecology. Jamie Colwell, Design Director at Mott MacDonald Bentley, commented: “Winning this award is great recognition for both a fantastic project and a superb team effort – especially having been previously praised for innovation on this scheme. It’s rewarding to see our relationship with DCWW progress from strength to strength – and being recognised by the ICE really highlights this.” The ICE Wales Cymru Awards were held virtually on 1 December 2021, recognising teams and individuals that have delivered some of the best civil engineering projects/work across the country. Find out more about the awards here. Read more about our work at Bewdley Bank at Water Projects Online. Overhead view of Bewdley Bank Service Reservoir Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to stay up to date with the latest news from across the business.

JN Bentley foreman, Jody Belcher, has scooped United Utilities’ Award for Outstanding Contribution to Health, Safety and Wellbeing. Presented by United Utilities Capital Delivery, Commercial and Engineering Director, Jane Simpson, at their Health and Safety Step Up Day, the award recognises Jody’s commitment to health, safety and wellbeing, the standard of his morning safe start briefings and the positive culture he’s helped build on site. Jody told us, “I was delighted to win the award – even if it came as a bit of a surprise! “For me, I was picking it up on behalf of the team, not just myself. “On this project we’ve created an environment where everyone looks out for one another and cares about their mates. There’s mutual respect between everyone, which means people take ownership for all aspects of their work, including safety. “The briefings we have every morning are key to this. Everyone – including subcontractors and the client – contribute to the discussions, ideas are taken on board, and it sets us all up for a good, safe day on site. “I’m passionate about health, safety and wellbeing and genuinely care about my team. I’m pleased this comes across and is helping us to deliver a really strong project.” Director, Nick Lister, commented, “Having been a part of Jody’s morning safe start briefings, it is not surprising he won this award because they are fantastic. “2022 saw JN Bentley’s biggest improvement in health and safety performance. We ended the year with an All-Injury Frequency Rate (AIFR) of 0.93, the lowest we have ever recorded. “This was only possible because of the engagement and dedication of colleagues like Jody and his team on site – so thank you and well done for leading by example.” Jody has worked for JN Bentley for 20 years. He began as a general construction operative before qualifying as a joiner. He’s now a foreman and has enjoyed spells delivering projects across the UK, including reservoirs in Yorkshire, pipelines in the East Midlands and now a major water treatment works upgrade in the Ribble Valley. Well done, Jody and his team. You can learn more about the project Jody is delivering on WaterProjectsOnline. - Just like Jody, could JN Bentley and Mott MacDonald Bentley be just the place to develop your career? Check out all current vacancies online. Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up to date with news from across the business.