Real estate consultancy JLL UK has hit 78 per cent of its 2016 sustainability targets, including achieving a 26 per cent reduction in absolute energy use since 2012, but missed key targets around staff training and client engagement with sustainability.
Reporting on a mixed bag of results in its 2016 Sustainability Report released late last week, JLL UK said it has made good progress on boosting recycling rates and cutting energy use across its offices. A particular achievement was the reduction of absolute energy use, it said, with JLL UK far outstripping its initial goal of delivering a 10 per cent cut by 2017.
However, it admitted progress in other areas slipped, in part due to external political and economic events. It had aimed to train 80 per cent of its staff on sustainability issues, but only 67 per cent had received such training by the end of last year. Likewise, it had planned to engage with clients to set a zero energy 2030 target aligned to EU law, but in light of the Brexit vote JLL UK CEO Chris Ireland said it had decided to “step back” from that goal.
The firm has set a new tranche of targets for 2020, including a pledge to achieve zero waste to landfill in all its corporate offices, cut absolute energy consumption a further nine per cent against 2012 levels, and source 100 per cent renewable electricity across it corporate estate.
“I want JLL to continue to play a leadership role in transforming the UK property sector and our aspiring targets for 2020 will certainly focus our efforts on achieving this,” Sophie Walker, head of sustainability at JLL, said in a statement. “By 2020, I want us to have integrated sustainability in to all our advice, supported the UK’s ongoing transition to a low carbon and circular economy and addressed the social issues where we can have the most impact.”
Source: businessgreen.com
