In celebration of the School’s 10 Year Anniversary, throughout June, we will be publishing a series of Q&As conducted with Partners of the School. For this, we asked each Partner to reflect on the past decade of sustainability in the UK Built Environment industry.
For the fourth edition of our ‘Reflections From…’ series, we spoke with Stuart Key, Head of Procurement Support and Performance for EQUANS UK & Ireland.
How would you describe the sustainability state of the built environment industry before the School was launched in 2012?
“Before the School was launched in 2012, there was a need to improve the level of understanding in the industry of what sustainability meant for the sector and how to translate it into action. Several competing narratives were used, and organisations were trying to move the agenda along on a smaller scale.
Training materials and resources for the industry were difficult to obtain, and there was no significant learning platform for suppliers where they could develop their knowledge and skills for free.”
What impact has the School had on the built environment industry during this last decade?
“During the last decade, the School has been instrumental in promoting a culture of collaboration in a highly competitive industry. It has sought to provide clarity and unite views on various responsible business/sustainability agenda topics.
The School’s free resources enable even the smallest companies to access and develop their knowledge on various topics from social value, health and wellbeing to climate change and carbon.”
How has the School enabled the industry to drive positive sustainable change?
“The School brings together companies to share resources, knowledge and expertise, creating a multiplier effect for what any company could achieve alone.
The nature of the School’s leadership means that the agenda keeps moving forward as new topics emerge, and the focus remains on developing practical tools and guidance to create positive change.”
Connect with Stuart Key on LinkedIn.
Learn more about EQUANS on their website.