November 26, 2020

WorldGBC and global leaders call for historic Built Environment Day at COP26

The World Green Building Council joins nine international organisations to sign a letter to COP26 President, Alok Sharma, requesting a Built Environment Day at the climate summit in November 2021. The day at COP26 would be dedicated to the action pathways to accelerate the decarbonisation of the built environment, and it will demonstrate how business and governments are catalysing solutions to the climate crisis. (more…)

November 24, 2020

Supplier codes of conduct can be ineffective in practice

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News

A new white paper claims that while supplier codes of conduct are important, they are ineffective if their requirements are not met with actions to bring about transparency. To be effective, codes of conduct should support an authentic determination to embed company values and to foster strong business relationships that encourage honest communication and transparency that include monitoring the effectiveness. (more…)

November 20, 2020

Plan submitted for London`s first net-zero carbon commercial property

by Jayne Smith • Company news, Environment, Property, Workplace design

Climate change has accelerated the urgency to address the way people live and work. With the UK’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2050, CIT and Foster + Partners want to help realise this ambition sooner, submitting a planning application for London’s first ever net-zero carbon workplace and commercial hub at Colechurch House, on the banks of the Thames. (more…)

November 19, 2020

CIPD identify key trends that will influence the future of the HR profession

by Jayne Smith • News, Technology, Working culture, Workplace

A new report from the CIPD, sets out the key trends that will have an impact on the future world of work and how these will shape the profession and the roles and capabilities of people professionals. (more…)

November 18, 2020

Missing that spark? The new hybrid working world

by Jayne Smith • News, Working culture

A new survey by Actus, has uncovered a number of prevailing concerns for employees. These centre around lack of opportunities to collaborate, connect and learn as informal face-to-face interactions are restricted due to Covid-19 enforced hybrid working. (more…)

November 17, 2020

Unused office space could cost London businesses almost £13 billion

by Jayne Smith • Business, Facilities management, News, Property

Unused office space after coronavirus could cost London-based businesses almost £13 billion according to a new report by Space Three Two, a new office timeshare marketplace born out of lockdown. According to a survey of London office workers, employees want to spend an average of 2.7 days back in the office once all Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. 1 in 10 workers said didn’t want to go back to the office at all. (more…)

November 16, 2020

Built environment sector must think in radical ways and act quickly

by Neil Franklin • Cities, Environment, News

The construction sector, the real estate industry and city planners must give high priority to the same goal – to drastically reduce their climate impacts. Powerful, combined efforts across all of the built environment sectors are absolutely crucial for the potential to achieve the UN’s sustainability goals. And what’s more – everything has to happen very quickly. These are the cornerstones to a roadmap presented at the recent Beyond 2020 World Conference. (more…)

November 13, 2020

Green commercial properties prove their worth

by Jayne Smith • Environment, News, Property

Nearly half of respondents in a global survey reported stronger occupier and investor demand for commercial properties with green building certificates. This translates into higher rents according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, RICS, sustainability findings within its global commercial property monitor for the third quarter. (more…)

November 11, 2020

UK office design should look to Europe for inspiration

by Ollie Plastow • Comment, Workplace design

The word ‘office’, based on the Latin term officium, wasn’t originally used to describing a building, or a space: instead it was used primarily as a term for a position: a role that was occupied by a person. So it seems only right with this etymology to take inspiration from Europe. And when considering office design, use that inspiration to build workspaces that reflect the needs of the people working within them. (more…)

November 11, 2020

Businesses prioritise environmental impact in post-COVID-19 strategies

by Jayne Smith • Business, Environment, News

Three-quarters (75 percent) of business decision makers say their organisation’s environmental and social impact has become more important due to COVID-19, according to new research from Epson. The research claims that business decision makers are taking action too, with more than half (55 percent) confirming they are now paying more attention to these targets compared to six months ago. (more…)

November 4, 2020

New Framework to drive a healthier and more equitable built environment

by Jayne Smith • Environment, News, Workplace design

After a multi-year global consultation, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) launches the Health & Wellbeing Framework — a comprehensive educational tool for a healthy and equitable built environment. With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the link between the built environment and human health into focus, the Framework’s six principles span indoor air quality, human rights in the supply chain, climate change resilience and more. (more…)

October 26, 2020

Workhuman introduces a ‘Charter of Workplace Rights’

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working culture

Workhuman, social recognition and continuous performance management platform, has unveiled the Workhuman Charter of Workplace Rights and accompanying Workhuman Certified programme during the Workhuman Live Online broadcast. (more…)