Advancing strategic sustainability: Inside W.G. Yates & Sons journey to turn climate risk insight into action
Climate ResilienceArticleMay 14, 2026
Staying ahead of climate risk is more than just a regulatory requirement, it can be a cornerstone of strategic leadership in construction. For W.G. Yates & Sons Construction, that means embracing innovative tools and fostering resilient practices. Elena Skorupan, Director of Environmental and Social Sustainability, has led her team to adopt Zurich Resilience Solutions’ Climate Spotlight, a tool helping transform the way the business thinks about risk, resilience, and the future. Her experience shows how thoughtful leadership and the right resources empower organizations to meet tomorrow’s challenges, starting today.
Discovery and Initial Motivation
The journey began last July at the AGC Sustainability Round Table in Arlington, Virginia, where the Climate Spotlight tool was introduced to Elena Skorupan, Director of Environmental and Social Sustainability - W.G. Yates & Sons Construction, by a Zurich Resilience Solutions representative. With new climate-related regulations on the horizon, specifically California’s SB 261 risk disclosure legislation, the company needed a practical way to assess and report climate risks across its portfolio. “We have been working on the reporting in-house, and while I have access to the resources I need for risks related to safety and personnel, I didn’t have resources to make the assessments for climate related events,” she reflected. “The Climate Spotlight product was perfect. I was able to run reports across our multiple locations and look at where we’d be impacted most.”
While her company manages a mix of owned and leased offices, the Climate Spotlight product provided clear visibility on location-specific exposures. “For organizations with an extensive portfolio, this product can be such a great resource to really think forward about potential climate risks, escalation of insurance premiums, and how we can future-proof operations,” she said.
For organizations with an extensive portfolio, this product can be such a great resource to really think forward about potential climate risks, escalation of insurance premiums, and how we can future-proof operations.
From Passion to Practice
Four years ago, Skorupan was already urging her leadership to stay ahead of the curve on decarbonization and new building materials. “Sustainability was always a passion,” she admitted. “In my spare time, I studied the latest sustainability trends and stayed up to date with the most nascent requirements. Back in 2022, I presented a case for more advanced sustainability efforts to our management committee. I said, ‘This is coming. We need to be prepared. If we’re not tracking our emissions or looking at low-carbon materials, we’ll squeeze ourselves out of competition with sustainability-conscious clients.”
Leadership listened, carving out a new role focused on environmental and social sustainability. Fast forward to today, and the business is experiencing a surge in sustainability reporting requests. “The dam opened. We have so many projects that require some form of sustainability reporting. That’s new for us, so it’s an area of increased focus,” she shared.
Workforce Wellbeing and Social Sustainability
Beyond climate exposure, she’s already connecting climate data to workforce wellbeing, an aspect often overlooked in property-focused assessments. “If we don’t address wellness on the job site, if we don’t create good working conditions now, young people will choose other industries. Construction is a difficult industry, and with 40 percent of the workforce expected to retire in five years, we must act.”
She envisions using the tool’s insights to identify hotspots, like areas facing extreme heat, and pilot climate-controlled break rooms and rest spaces. “It might be more than what OSHA mandates. People need to go inside and cool off. We’re probably five years away, but it’s better to be prepared today.”
Strategic Decision-Making and Management Buy-In
While the tool has supported her in surfacing key risks, rising sea levels at coastal offices, flooding, extreme heat, and water shortages, turning insight into action remains an ongoing challenge. “It’s given me a license to keep this conversation going with management. Sometimes it’s not the number one priority, but once we endure a really bad event, it will be.”
She sees enormous value in the tool’s reporting, which, even at a basic level, models near- and long-term climate scenarios and can highlight the business case for building resilience, both in property and people. “This is a scientific approach. It’s telling the story and helps socialize the idea so that when a decision needs to be made, we’re ready.”
If we’re not tracking our emissions or looking at low carbon materials, we’ll squeeze ourselves out of competition.
Looking Forward
The Zurich Resilience Solutions’ Climate Spotlight Tool has empowered this leader to quantify climate risk, inform management discussions, and start future-proofing both operations and workforce wellbeing. For her company, it is not only about compliance or risk mitigation, but also about creating an industry-leading culture of resilience, ready for whatever tomorrow brings.
“Resources like this will be invaluable in the future… It gives you insights and you can just look at one resource, and it really tells the story.”
Advice for Peers in the Construction Industry
To other construction organizations considering how to respond to climate risk, she is clear: “The whole concept of sustainability now is more about resilience and future-proofing. Don’t just think about today’s issues. Five years from now is basically tomorrow. This needs to be part of the strategic conversation, even if you’re not making the investment right away. The disruption of a major event can take a business offline or, worse, out of business. So being diligent in risk assessment and insurance coverage is essential. Resources like this will be invaluable in the future.”
To learn how Climate Spotlight can help your organization build operational strength and resilience, explore Zurich Resilience Solutions' Climate Spotlight solutions.