Kier has been named among Europe's strongest climate performers after a significant rise in the Financial Times European Climate Leaders 2026 rankings.

The group is now the top-ranked business in the construction and building materials sector across Europe. It places 13th overall out of 600 companies and is the third highest-ranked UK company on the list.

The FT index highlights organisations cutting greenhouse gas emissions from their core operations, focusing on those that have delivered the largest reductions in scope 1 and scope 2 emissions.

Kier has appeared in previous editions, but its improved position reflects sustained progress in reducing its carbon footprint under its Building for a Sustainable World strategy. Over the past year, it has moved from sixth to first in its sector, from 27th to third in the UK, and from 120th to 13th overall.

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Recent gains have been driven by both near-term and long-term actions. These include procuring sustainable hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to displace diesel on sites for immediate reductions, alongside electrifying its fleet and company car base to support the transition to net zero.

Kier also achieved a CDP A rating this year — the highest available — for climate and supplier engagement, and its near-term and net-zero targets have been validated for several years by the UN-backed Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Tracey Collins, sustainability director at Kier, said: "This recognition reflects the focus and pace at which we are improving sustainability across our operations. While we've made significant strides, we remain committed to accelerating progress as we deliver our long-term Building for a Sustainable World strategy – which is embedded into our operations as a business. We aim to leave a lasting legacy in the communities in which we operate, and environmental sustainability will remain an important cornerstone of this work."