Sustainability Strategy
Define clear sustainability priorities that strengthen organizational resilience, improve decision-making and create measurable environmental, social and commercial value.
How we help our clients
Organizations are under increasing pressure to balance environmental ambition with commercial priorities. Evolving regulation, investor expectations, stakeholder demands and net zero commitments require clear strategies that translate sustainability objectives into measurable action. Without a coordinated approach, sustainability initiatives can become fragmented, making progress harder to manage, demonstrate and sustain.
As specialist advisors, we help organizations establish the strategies, frameworks and governance needed to embed sustainability into long-term decision-making. Drawing on multidisciplinary expertise across the built environment lifecycle, we define priorities, establish measurable objectives and create practical roadmaps that support investment decisions, strengthen accountability and enable organizations to deliver meaningful environmental and social outcomes.
Embedding sustainability into strategy
Effective sustainability strategies begin with a clear understanding of organizational priorities, challenges and opportunities. Establishing ambition early ensures sustainability objectives support wider business goals rather than operating as standalone initiatives.
We work with organizations to define sustainability priorities, establish ESG objectives and create strategic frameworks that balance environmental performance, social value and long-term resilience. Through assessment and stakeholder engagement, we establish a clear direction for future decision-making.
Sustainability commitments require practical pathways to translate ambition into measurable progress. Clear targets, implementation plans and governance structures enable organizations to prioritize action and allocate investment effectively.
We develop sustainability frameworks, Net Zero Roadmaps and implementation strategies that identify priorities, define actions and support long-term transition. This helps organizations move from ambition towards delivery through a structured and measurable approach.
Sustainability strategies create greater value when progress can be monitored, evaluated and communicated. Robust reporting and governance enable organizations to understand performance and respond as priorities evolve.
We establish ESG reporting frameworks, monitoring approaches and performance indicators that provide greater visibility of sustainability outcomes. This enables organizations to demonstrate progress, strengthen accountability and make informed decisions based on reliable evidence.
A successful sustainability strategy must influence decisions beyond its initial development. Embedding sustainability into organizational processes ensures commitments continue to shape future investment, projects and operations.
We support clients in applying sustainability frameworks across portfolios and programmes, providing guidance, tools, soft landings and post occupancy evaluation to maintain alignment between strategic ambitions, operational performance and delivery outcomes.
Long-term sustainability performance depends on creating an approach that can adapt as organizations, regulations and expectations change. Strong governance, post occupancy evaluation and continuous improvement enable sustainability objectives to remain embedded over time.
We help organizations close the loop between strategy and operational performance through post occupancy evaluation. By understanding how buildings perform in use, we generate evidence that informs future projects, portfolio strategies and investment decisions, creating continuous improvement alongside measurable environmental, social and commercial value.
An evidence-led sustainability strategy for your real estate portfolio
Our Great Estates Toolkit helps organizations develop sustainability strategies through scenario testing that balances space, cost and carbon to support informed investment, improve resilience and guide long-term portfolio decision-making.
Strategic solutions
Manchester Metropolitan University, Science and Engineering
Our sustainability strategy advice embedded BREEAM, WELL and Net Zero principles, supporting informed decisions across a complex development programme.
Bush House South West Wing
A low-carbon transformation strategy embedded EnerPHit, BREEAM and WELL targets through informed sustainability decisions.
The Ironworks, Dublin
A Net Zero-aligned sustainability strategy supported embodied carbon reduction, BREEAM standards and resilient low-carbon development.
Speak to our experts
Lucy Townsend, Sustainable Strategy Adviser
Lucy advises organizations on sustainability strategies that translate environmental ambition into practical action. As our Head of Sustainability, she leads the practice-wide sustainability team and supports clients, designers and delivery teams in embedding sustainability across projects and portfolios.
With extensive experience in environmental assessment, ESG frameworks and sustainable development standards, Lucy brings strategic insight across sectors including education, healthcare, commercial and residential. Her expertise helps organizations establish measurable sustainability goals, strengthen governance and create pathways towards long-term environmental performance.
Alfie Gilbert, Social Value Adviser
Alfie is a specialist adviser in social value and sustainability, helping organizations maximize positive environmental, social and economic outcomes through effective strategy, measurement and delivery frameworks. With experience across client, contractor and supply chain organizations, he supports public and private sector clients with social value strategies, benefits management, needs assessments, ESG due diligence, impact assessment and performance management.
Drawing on UK and international experience, Alfie advises on embedding social value into decision-making, from vision setting and stakeholder engagement through to measurement, reporting and communications. His expertise also spans equality, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, responsible procurement and modern slavery, supporting clients to create lasting value through their projects and programmes.
Julia Yao, Net Zero Carbon Adviser
Julia is a specialist adviser in net zero carbon and sustainable design, providing strategic direction on low-carbon, high-performance approaches across major projects. With experience spanning architecture, engineering and building performance, she brings an evidence-led approach to reducing carbon impact and improving environmental performance through design.
Her expertise includes whole-life carbon analysis, energy modelling, sustainable retrofit and environmental design. Julia has led net zero carbon workstreams and acted as Net Zero Carbon Coordinator and Carbon Manager on complex projects across multiple sectors, helping project teams integrate carbon considerations throughout the design process.
Further Reading
Sustainability
Creating environmentally, socially and economically advanced places that enhance wellbeing, productivity and long-term value for users.
Decarbonization Strategy
Create practical decarbonization pathways that reduce carbon, improve asset performance and support the transition to net zero.