Our strategy
Photography by Christopher Alvarenga courtesy of Unsplash
Climate action and urban resilience
Carbon emissions
Goal
What we've done so far
Reduce the carbon impact of our workplaces globally to net zero by 2040; with a 50% reduction by 2030
- Procured SaaS platforms to provide better processes for collecting and verifying data
- Committed to the WEF Green Building Principles.
- U.K. business commenced verification with the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi).
Reduce the carbon impact of the buildings we manage for clients.
- Measured and provided dashboard reporting to clients in managed buildings.
- Supported clients to reduce energy consumption, set targets and review performance.
Empower our places and communities to reduce carbon emissions.
- Took part in local forums to share best practices.
- Led community engagement initiatives on client regeneration projects.
Green buildings and performance
Goal
What we've done so far
Improve the sustainability of our workplaces.
- Implemented a global occupancy standard into workplace governance, design and operation.
- Applied the standard in Toronto and Manchester fit outs.
Develop services that improve the sustainability of the built environment across the whole asset lifecycle.
- Enhanced our existing services and introduced new services to integrate environmental and social outcomes – for example EV charging networks, net zero carbon and social impact services.
Climate resilience and adaptation
Goal
What we've done so far
Assess the resiliency of our own operations in the face of climate impacts.
- Formal TCFD assessment planned but not started.
Assess climate impacts on our clients’ buildings and portfolios and provide risk mitigation solutions.
- Incorporated flood risk and mitigation advice and financial impact in pre-acquisition due diligence reporting.
- Developed capability to assess overheating risks in buildings to align with future climate scenarios (U.K.).
- Added new data sources to AVANT – our proprietary data platform – to enable review of flood risks.
Help local communities to increase resiliency to the impacts of climate change
- Not started
Photography by Greyson Joralemon courtesy of Unsplash
Diversity, equity and inclusion; and healthy and sustainable living
Talent attraction and knowledge
Goal
What we've done so far
Support learning and development for our people, ensuring access to knowledge and information to do their jobs.
- Continued to conduct training initiatives, including unconscious bias training and Mental Health First Aid.
- Introduced customised service line education sessions and delivered to global teams.
- Introduced Carbon Literacy Training (U.K.) and specialised ESG training for leasing and capital markets (EMEA).
Attract the best talent to do meaningful and impactful work for our clients.
- Expanded our ESG team and expertise across business functions.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Goal
What we've done so far
Inspire a balanced and diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate.
- Partnered with search firms who specialize in recruiting diverse candidates.
Work with a diverse and inclusive supply chain to improve opportunity and accessibility.
- Developed a supplier diversity policy.
Keeping spend in the local economy to support local businesses.
- Procured a SaaS platform to support implementation of supplier diversity policy.
Employee engagement, wellbeing and sustainable living
Goal
What we've done so far
Promote health, wellbeing and sustainable living for our employees.
- Launched an internal sustainability communications channel which shares news on healthy and sustainable living tips.
- Maintained a wellbeing hub accessible to staff, regular webinars on physical and mental health
Promote the benefits of healthy spaces and places to our clients.
- Advised clients on wellbeing design and solutions in our capital markets, site selection, project management and workplace consulting practice.
Community Impact
Community Impact (place/people focus)
Goal
What we've done so far
Make a positive impact on the communities we operate in.
- 5,200 volunteer hours from 80 offices for our Annual Day of Giving.
Be purposeful: Transform our business into a purpose-led organisation.
- Developed a set of social value principles to guide our service delivery and corporate social activities.
Focus on places: Real impact through assets, places and communities we engage.
- Created an impact framework to shape client projects, developments and asset management approaches.
- Commenced work on an Avison Young impact framework to measure our own social value activities and initiatives.
Harness relationships with people: Holistic, long-term and meaningful impact through stewardship and ecosystem working with our clients and partners, our people and community.
- Partnered with the World Economic Forum on the creation of an Urban Transformation Taskforce.