New report puts the case for FM contribution to sustainability

A new report has been published which argues that FM has the power, and responsibility to contribute towards social, economic and political betterment, but to do so the sector needs to be more explicit in the value it offers. Sustainability in facilities management: A Holistic View’ from Active Workplace Solutions claims to explore sustainability within the built environment, analyses how the facilities management (FM) sector can impact wider environmental, social and economic goals and build a holistic strategic picture of sustainability. The report claims to explore the idea that professionals from across the built environment sector have to work together to build an environment that will foster openness and honesty. According to the UK Green Building Council, the built environment contributes approximately 40 percent of the UK’s total carbon footprint. Almost half of this comes from the energy that buildings use and the country’s infrastructure.

Active’s white paper claims to show how organisations need to approach sustainable activity and points to three key pillars of focus that organisations need to address:

1. Developing a sustainable strategy – there are a number of ways facilities managers can make tangible improvement to improving energy and environmental performance. By having a strategy in place that is not only implemented, but also clarified to the wider workforce, practical changes have the opportunity to make a real difference.
2. Changing behaviours – buy-in does not just happen at the top, facilities managers must also garner buy-in for sustainability initiatives for the rest of the organisations workforce. A cultural shift needs to occur, whereby the entire organisation is behind the initiatives and new ways of working
3. Social value – as a service-based industry, FM touches huge numbers of people, organisations and communities. The industry and organisations themselves need to therefore consider how they can secure wider social, economic and environmental benefits.

Click here to download ‘Sustainability in facilities management: A Holistic View’ (registration required).