How Binnies is enhancing people’s lives, local communities, and the wider environment
Established more than 100 years ago, Binnies’ legacy is rooted in the delivery of iconic infrastructure, including Vauxhall Bridge and the Greenwich Foot Tunnels. The company joined the RSK Group in 2021, marking the beginning of a new phase of sustained growth, driven by a clear strategic focus on building expertise in asset health, digital strategies, and specialist capabilities in reservoir design and construction.
With a strong emphasis on sustainability, nature-based solutions and low-carbon delivery, Binnies delivers national critical infrastructure, working with water utility companies and flood risk management authorities such as the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales. Binnies is also expanding its international presence across key regions including Asia-Pacific and Australia, bringing its specialist expertise to major infrastructure projects.
By implementing a targeted approach that focuses on deep technical expertise and proven delivery capability, the business has built strong client trust and positioned itself to secure major AMP8 framework positions with Southern Water, Anglian Water’s @one Alliance, Thames Water, United Utilities and Welsh Water, while continuing to play a significant role on nationally important major infrastructure programmes.
Delivering complex infrastructure
Binnies’ technical expertise is demonstrated through its involvement in some of the UK’s most significant water and environmental programmes, most notably at White Horse Reservoir and the water sector’s first Development Consent Order (DCO) for Anglian Water at Cambridge.
Working in joint venture with Arup as technical partner to Thames Water, Binnies is playing a central role in the development of White Horse Reservoir, formerly SESRO, which is the UK’s largest new reservoir in over 100 years. For this significant scheme, Binnies is leading engineering design, environmental assessment and planning, and supporting the DCO process.
The Arup–Binnies joint venture has also been appointed by Southern Water as technical partner for the Thames to Southern Transfer, supporting the design and planning of an approximately 80-kilometre strategic pipeline, as well as environmental assessment and progression through the DCO process.
Alongside these major programmes, Binnies continues to deliver long-standing frameworks for water companies across the UK, providing design, advisory and design-build services that support both capital investment and operational performance.
Binnies also works with the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales across flood and coastal risk frameworks, including CPS1, Mapping and Modelling, ECOSF and NRW Next Generation. As clients face increasing pressures, Binnies adopts a catchment-scale approach that integrates engineering with nature-based solutions and strong stakeholder management. The delivery approach also places strong emphasis on asset health and asset management, using data, digital tools and predictive techniques to move from reactive to proactive maintenance.
Collaboration at the core of delivery
Collaboration is fundamental to how Binnies delivers, working in integrated teams to share risks and develop effective solutions collectively. Binnies works in long-term, trusted partnerships with clients and delivery partners, including an eight-year ISO 44001 collaborative partnership with WSP, alongside other joint ventures. These collaborative models create shared ownership of outcomes, enabling faster decision making and bringing the right expertise together at the right time.
Collaboration extends beyond external partners and clients. Through the RSK Group, the business operates within a network of more than 250 like-minded specialist companies and can leverage an integrated supply chain that enhances capacity, capability, and access to specialist expertise.
A clear example of this approach in practice is the formation of bWGM, a joint venture between Binnies and WGM Engineering (an RSK Group company) to deliver design and build frameworks for water utility clients including United Utilities and Southern Water. This partnership fuses Binnies’ strong client relationships and design expertise with WGM’s delivery capability, DFMA approach and off-site manufacturing. The result is a fully integrated model that improves buildability, reduces programme risk and accelerates delivery.
From Net Zero to nature
Sustainability at Binnies goes beyond carbon reduction; the business has fundamentally rethought how infrastructure is designed, delivered, and maintained.
A key part of this is the shift from reactive to predictive asset management. Through its partnership with Williams Grand Prix Technologies and JuliaHub, Binnies is introducing advanced scientific machine learning (SciML) technology proven in elite motorsport, aviation and aerospace to the UK water sector. SciML enables water companies to move from reactive maintenance to predictive asset health, identifying failures before they occur and optimising performance using the data they already hold. In doing so, it not only improves resilience and reduces operational risk, but also supports net-zero ambitions by optimising energy use and reducing unnecessary interventions.
Alongside digital innovation, Binnies is delivering nature-based solutions that provide long-term environmental and social value. The Chester Wetland Centre is a leading example of a community-driven scheme that restores a degraded watercourse, improves water quality and creates a biodiverse wetland habitat, while delivering community benefits through education, engagement and enhanced local amenities. Recognised at the CIEEM Awards for best practice in stakeholder engagement, this project demonstrates how Binnies’ approach of natural capital and green financing can unlock funding while delivering measurable benefits across biodiversity, carbon, and water quality.
This capability is demonstrated through the Staplefield Integrated Constructed Wetland in West Sussex, delivered by Solutions by Nature, a joint venture between Binnies and Salix (both part of the RSK Group). This is a nature-based treatment system designed to remove phosphorus and other pollutants before discharge into the River Ouse, using native plants to improve water quality through natural processes while enhancing biodiversity and storing carbon.
By combining asset health, digital innovation and nature-based solutions, Binnies is helping clients respond to growing pressures around resilience, regulation, and affordability.
Recognition, awards, and people
The quality of Binnies’ work is reflected in the recognition it receives across the industry. Being named Engineering Consultancy of the Year at the Water Industry Awards in 2024, just three years after joining the RSK Group, demonstrates how a focused, specialist business can achieve sector-leading outcomes and be recognised alongside much larger organisations.
Health, safety and wellbeing are equally central to how Binnies operates. The award of the RoSPA Order of Distinction reflects a sustained commitment to protecting its people, partners and communities, embedding a culture where safety is not just a priority, but a fundamental part of delivery.
The depth of expertise within the business is also reflected in the professional recognition of its people, including CIWEM Presidents and Junior Presidents, and Fellows of leading professional institutions such as the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Institute of Asset Management (IAM).
Binnies also places strong emphasis on recognising its own people. The Binnies People Awards celebrate the achievements, innovation and dedication of employees across the business, reinforcing a culture where individuals are valued and supported to succeed. In terms of diversity and inclusion, Binnies has been recognised in the Top 50 Women in Engineering awards for three consecutive years, highlighting the role its people play in shaping a more inclusive and forward-looking profession.
Purpose-driven culture
Binnies’ success is driven by its people. Its teams combine technical excellence, digital innovation and hands-on delivery experience to solve complex challenges and deliver lasting outcomes. This is underpinned by a strong, people-focused culture built on collaboration, integrity and care, creating an environment where individuals can thrive while delivering meaningful impact for clients, communities and the environment.
Binnies fosters a strong, values-driven culture through its ENGAGED behaviours framework, supported by structured career pathways and mentoring. Policies like flexible and hybrid working, STEM Returners, and support for the Armed Forces community are helping to attract and retain a diverse, highly skilled workforce.
Focused on delivery, people, and performance
Looking ahead, Binnies’ focus remains firmly on delivering for its clients today while preparing for the challenges and opportunities of the future. A key priority is the successful delivery of the major programmes already secured.
Alongside delivery, Binnies will continue to invest in the foundations that enable long-term success, recognising that its ability to deliver is directly linked to its people. Social value also remains central, with the Binnies Community Fund, apprenticeship programmes, and community volunteering all contributing to positive local outcomes.
Binnies’ long-term growth ambitions reflect this focus. Through its strategic business plan to 2033, the business is on track to grow to around 1000 people in the near term and is forecast to reach approximately 2000 people by 2033. This growth is supported by strong financial performance, with revenue expected to reach around £150 million in 2026, increasing to approximately £300 million by 2030 and exceeding £400 million by 2033.
Ultimately, this growth will secure Binnies’ position in delivering greater impact and helping clients build resilient infrastructure for future generations. This reflects Binnies’ core purpose to enhance lives, communities and the environment, and underpins its ambition to grow in a way that delivers lasting and meaningful outcomes.