The UK Defence ESG Charter brings together organisations committed to improving environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, helping to build a more sustainable, resilient and responsible sector for the future.

The latest annual report highlights the progress made by Charter signatories including Rheinmetall UK and Safran UK who are contributing to decarbonising the industry’s supply chain.

RHEINMETALL UK
Pioneering sustainable defence testing with the RSBL Turret Test Rig

RBSL’s state-of-the-Art Turret Test Rig (TTR) is transforming defence testing by combining technological rigour with strong environmental stewardship. This multi-million pound capital project is a cornerstone of RBSL’s strategy to achieve unprecedented levels of turret maturity and reliability during the development phase, fundamentally transforming traditional testing methodologies.

The TTR is designed to de-risk production by rigorously simulating real-world operational environments before systems are deployed to the field. This capability directly eliminates the need for resource-intensive, traditional field reliability trials conducted on ‘Battlefield Day’. These conventional methods typically consume vast volumes of diesel fuel and other critical resources. By shifting testing into a controlled environment, the TTR cuts emissions across the lifecycle, saving 1.71 tCO2e of fuel per test phase, eliminating transport emissions from moving vehicles to remote ranges, and avoiding the carbon associated with producing and replacing spare parts, like filters, chains and belts,
typically required during intensive field trials.

The purpose-built facility reinforces the sustainability focus, operating on a hybrid energy system powered by on-site renewables like photovoltaics and groundwater heat pumps, and supplemented by certified renewable electricity. Together, these innovations show that critical defence capabilities can align with robust ESG objectives.

SAFRAN UK
10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with ENGIE

In April 2025, Safran UK signed a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with utility company ENGIE, marking a tangible departure from standard procurement practices. Securing a dedicated supply of UK-generated solar energy allows Safran to insulate its operations from grid volatility while addressing the urgent need for emissions reduction.

Thanks to the agreement, Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions across the Group’s UK portfolio are projected to halve. Such a reduction is a major headline achievement as part of the company’s global target to decarbonise at least 50% of its total emissions by 2030 (the baseline being emissions in 2018). This long-term commitment to renewable energy infrastructure also sends a powerful signal to Safran’s UK supply chain, showcasing a blueprint for resilience.

Véronique Bardelmann, Safran VP Europe and ADS VP for Aerospace comments: “We are very proud of this innovative deal with ENGIE. Our commitment to buy renewable energy over the next ten years illustrates our proactive approach to combating climate change”.