Built environment firms need to report their operational footprint, as well as design and construction work, to meet client pressures and attract top talent. Demonstrating their commitment to sustainability can help firms stand out as leaders in their field, especially with the increasing demand for environmentally-conscious services and new regulations.
Case Study: Core Five
Core Five is a London-based construction consultancy that offers cost management, project management, and advisory services to clients across a range of sectors, including commercial, residential, and educational.
The Challenge
Core Five faced the challenging task of engaging with sustainability in a sector with a huge influence on overall national and international net zero influences. They needed to:
- Demonstrate their sustainability commitment, stand out as leaders in the industry, meet client demands, and prepare for new regulations.
- Identify high-emission areas, reduce emissions where possible, save costs, and improve operational efficiency.
- Attract and retain talent seeking firms with strong sustainability credentials and commitments.
- Mitigate the impacts of climate change, reduce their environmental impact, and promote sustainability best practices within the industry.
The Solution
By working with Alectro, Core Five was able to:
- Swiftly assess its carbon emissions profile, pinpointing areas with high emissions and identifying the most impactful areas to make changes.
- Assess the influence of its suppliers and implemented measures to align the supply chain with net-zero objectives.
- Encourage active involvement of all employees in the sustainability efforts, valuing their feedback and using it to drive improvements in the upcoming years.
- Determine which behavioural changes would have the highest impact on its staff and overall footprint.
- Carefully selecte international offset projects that align with the Sustainable Development Goals preferred by the employees, thereby receiving their support.
Core Five was able to get results in weeks, whereas alternative solutions would have taken months.
The Impact
After working with Alectro, Core Five was able to:
- Improve its reputation and increase client attraction: By demonstrating its commitment to sustainability and transparency through reporting and reducing emissions, Core Five was able to improve its reputation and attract clients who value environmental responsibility.
- Realise Cost savings: By measuring and identifying areas of high emissions, Core Five was able to develop strategies to reduce those emissions, leading to cost savings from energy efficiency measures, waste reduction, and other sustainability initiatives.
- Prepare for compliance and regulation: By aligning with regulations and reporting on their emissions, Core Five was able to pre-empt any penalties and other legal consequences when required to report their emissions publicly.
- Hire the best talent: By prioritising sustainability and environmental responsibility as a core pillar of the business, Core Five is able to attract and retain top talent who prioritize these values, leading to increased innovation, productivity, and profitability.
Overall, this allowed Core Five to demonstrate its commitment to long term sustainability, and to identify itself as an industry leader with regard to operational sustainability - putting itself in a prime position to be able to drive change within the wider industry.
You can download the full case study here.
Who else have we worked with?
You can see some of the other companies we’ve helped in the built environment sector:
