Meet Mott MacDonald: Finalists in our Annual Business Awards
What's made them Finalists
Having displayed excellence across four different categories, Mott MacDonald Singapore's contributions to sustainability within the city's infrastructure, collaborative projects between their UK and Singapore teams, comprehensive diversity strategy that addresses various levels of inclusivity and innovative business transformation initiatives have fostered positive social, environmental and economic impacts within their business and the greater community.
Business Transformation
Over the past year, Mott MacDonald have made impressive strides in innovation and the transformation of operations and processes that have significantly impacted various projects. One notable example is the North-South Corridor (NSC) tunnels, where a creative solution was employed to overcome space constraints along Thomson Road. Instead of the traditional side-by-side construction, an inventive approach was taken by stacking the tunnels, with one tunnel placed above the other. This unique arrangement, a first in Singapore, effectively addresses the space limitations.
The resurgence of key projects, such as the Changi Terminal 5 Master Building and Civil consultancy works, has been a significant driver of this revenue upsurge. These efforts reflect the company's commitment to adding value to its clients by delivering high-quality solutions. Notably, the North-South Corridor (NSC) project has further showcased Mott MacDonald's prowess in project delivery and design excellence. These accomplishments are a testament to the organisation's proficiency in executing complex and transformative projects.
Over the course of the last 12 months, Mott MacDonald Singapore has achieved remarkable growth in its financial performance, showcasing the organization's strategic prowess and adaptability. Through a combination of prudent cost management, operational streamlining, and seizing emerging market opportunities, the company has achieved a remarkable 54% increase in revenue. This impressive growth underscores Mott MacDonald's capacity to thrive amidst dynamic market shifts while consistently delivering exceptional value to its clients.
UK Impact in Singapore
One of the key factors in achieving these remarkable results has been the collaboration between Mott MacDonald UK and Mott MacDonald Singapore. This partnership has been instrumental in successfully delivering groundbreaking projects that have garnered global recognition. For instance, the joint efforts in the development of Changi Terminal 5, one of the world's leading airports, has showcased an strong synergy between both teams. The project's successful execution was marked by intricate engineering solutions and design innovations, setting the stage for enhanced airport capacity and improved aircraft infrastructure.
Leveraging on their experience from London's underground system and 160 years in transportation, Mott MacDonald have been pivotal in constructing 22% of Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network, overcoming urban challenges. Their designs have transformed urban landscapes, including diverting the Singapore River and building stations on reclaimed land.
Mott MacDonald's role in iconic developments like the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) and Kallang/Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) exemplifies how they have reshaped Singapore's infrastructure. With the MCE, they optimised ground improvement with deep cement mixing, saving costs and enhancing quality. Their unique approach to piles led to 40% steel savings and 20% concrete reduction. Innovations like reducing strut levels by two enhanced efficiency and safety, gaining a US$70 million benefit. They have also actively contributed to Singapore's aviation sector, having been involved in shaping the future of Changi Airport with projects such as the Jewel Changi Airport, with its Forest Valley and Rain Vortex.
Diversity and Inclusion
42% of their Singapore workforce are females of which 73% of staff at junior/mid-level are females and 27% of staff at senior level are females. Their senior level female staff increased by 5% over the last couple of years and 49% of gradate and intern roles are held by females. Mott MacDonald also offers equal opportunities for promotions at all levels. 44% of staff promoted in January 2023 were female and 7% of their East Asia business unit (including Singapore) employees have set EDI goals in 2023.
Their inclusivity initiatives also include community inclusion such as partnering with Health Serve to support migrant workers (e.g., basic health screening, counselling services) twice a year annually. As a disability-inclusive organisation, they have made reasonable workplace adjustments to support staff within the office.
As a fair employer, they use inclusive language in job advertisements and ensure that they do not include requirements that discriminate against applicants based on age, gender, race, religion, marital status and family responsibilities or disability. A structured interview assessment form and diverse interview panel are in place to ensure interviews are conducted in a fair and objective manner. Personal data of candidates such as age, race, marital status, and religion are not provided to hiring managers to prevent unconscious bias. The organisation also has a culture of open and transparent communication, running monthly staff briefings and quarterly townhalls as well as conducting regular feedback sessions between employees and line managers and running feedback assessments or senior leaders.
Sustainability
Mott MacDonald's designs have left an indelible mark on Singapore's built environment, garnering international acclaim for sustainable features, reducing energy consumption and minimising environmental impacts. Projects such as
as the Star Vista, Singapore’s first naturally cooled mall, and the environmentally friendly Mapletree Business City II, serve as prime examples of the organisation's dedication to integrating sustainable solutions into the fabric of the city.
In their Singapore office, specific achievements include carbon accounting, Scope 2 emission reductions, accessibility improvements, decarbonisation strategies for clients, pioneering carbon baselining for rail and aviation projects, climate resilience planning, elimination of single-use plastic, positive social outcomes in community revitilisation projects, and successful programmes in
Future Cities.
Ongoing sustainability initiatives in their Singapore office include tracking and monitoring of operational carbon footprint to identify areas for improvement, the successful implementation of single use plastic avoidance in their offices which involved working closely with their suppliers to avoid any potential single use plastic, especially at corporate events and catering. Investing in their regional net-zero growth initiative, providing internal funding for their sustainability team and carbon advisors to upskill themselves and to support clients with implementing carbon management practices.
As an organisation, they are also advocating for the implementation of PAS 2060 and PAS 2080 in their projects as a holistic carbon management framework and are pivoting their business across sectors to prioritise work where they can influence low carbon development. This has been particularly successful in the Built Environment, where they provide global carbon reduction strategies for their developer clients and are actively involved in national sustainability initiatives such as the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) as a signatory to the Embodied Carbon Pledge and as a committee member for SGBC’s taskforce on carbon and the Green Engineering Conference, where they delivered a talk on Climate Adaptation and Building a Greener City.
They have also implemented several environmental sustainability efforts, such as monitoring and reducing operational carbon footprint, avoiding single-use plastic, investing in net-zero growth, advocating for holistic carbon management frameworks, prioritising low-carbon development in multiple sectors, participating in green building councils, hosting internal sustainability events, and helping to develop their Moata Carbon Portal platform. These initiatives are aligned with their principles of sustainability and their commitment to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.