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“Mind The Gap”: Has the FM industry embraced the Sustainability Agenda? Mark Whittaker, Integral UK & BIFM North
“Mind The Gap”:
Has the FM industry embraced the
Sustainability Agenda?
Mark Whittaker,Integral UK & BIFM North
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Presentation Outline
1. How do we define sustainability?
2. Why is it important?
3. What is it’s importance within FM?
4. What are the barriers to progress?
3 | Sustainability in the Workplace
1. Defining Sustainability?
A working practice is seen as „sustainable‟ if it “meets theneeds of the present without compromising the ability offuture generations to meet their own needs.
Resources should be used to benefit businesses now and inthe future, in a way that benefits society.”
Source: Brundtland Commission of the United Nations on 20 March 1987.
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Five Key Components?
Sustainability
Waste
Flexible Working
Energy
Health & Safety
Staff Well
Being
Bio-diversity
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2. Why sustainability?
“The social customer is looking for businesses & leaders to be much more socially responsible.”
“Social responsibility and sustainability are both inherently a mid- to long – term proposition, with impacts sometimes taking years to be seen.”
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2. The Evidence
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3. Importance within FM?
> In 60% of client organisations, the premises or facilities manager is responsible for environmental management in their organisation.
> 32% of clients have an environmental remit; this has grown from 22% who had an environmental remit five years ago.
> For any environmental or sustainable issue to be fully taken on board by an organisation, management buy-in and strong leadership are vital.
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Key Findings
47% receive no formal training in environmental awareness
Over 33% believe senior management do not show leadership in this area.
83% of organisations don‟t assesses attitude of staff on sustainability issues
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2013 Sustainability in FM Survey
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Key Findings - Sustainability
Significant adoption progress since 2007
Primary responsibility at board level, whole organisation buy-in
Champions are key tool to engage staff
FM can become educator & implementer
Lack of tools, knowledge & training
Financial constraints
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Four Key Recommendations
1. Support FMs to educate & implement
2. Provide Communication Tools
3. Publicise no cost/alternative costed improvements
4. Communicate case studies
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“Mind the Gap”- The Evidence
Based on a survey of over 600 UK businesses:
• Company directors are more confident about the efforts their company is taking on sustainability issues (79%) than energy managers (69%) operating on the frontline:
• One third of energy managers believe their organisation is not doing enough.
• 40% of businesses believe they are making good progress on energy management
• 46% of companies do not know their carbon emission levels
Siemens Green League Report, 2012
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Too much too soon?
Graeme Davies writes:
“Energy efficiency and reducing emissions are important, mainly for practical reasons rather than moral ones. From the beginning of this month, companies listed on the London Stock Exchange must deliver mandatory carbon reporting alongside their annual financial reports detailing the emissions they make. “
“clients will increasingly look to their FM provider to advise and lead on meeting suitable sustainability standards. “
The downside: Carillion tooled up to serve this market too rapidly compared to the slow response from homeowners and energy companies and now has to scale back its operations, at a potential cost of up to £40m in this financial year.
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Beware of “Greenwash”?
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Other useful info
Sustainable Facilities Management can contribute to a company‟s:
1. Bottom Line
2. Commitment to the Environment
3. Health, Safety & Productivity of their people
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Group Discussion
1. How important is Sustainability in your organisation & are your senior management on board?
2. What kind of sustainability measures have you adopted?
3. What are the barriers to further adoption?
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What are the current barriers?
Senior Management Buy-in
Staff Engagement
Lack of Tools
Underdeveloped training & knowledge
Misconception: link between capital investment & sustainable.
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Conclusions
Newton’s Laws of Motion:
Inertia:
“an object either is at rest or moves at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an
external force.”
Need for Senior Management understanding & buy-in
Momentum:
“The acceleration of a body is directly proportional to, and in the same direction as, the
net force acting on the body.”
Need to evidence & publicise tangible results & obtain staff engagement
It is about people not technology
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Contact Details
> Mark Whittaker:
M: 07764 840 694
T: @Whitbags
B: www.whitbagsinfm.wordpress.com
