Sustainability
Crown Workspace have followed a progressive sustainability agenda for over ten years. We lead our marketplace in sustainable service provision and deliver social value not only through our positive environmental impacts and employee practices but and also by supporting our communities, using our knowledge and experience to drive wider change.
In 2021, we set an ambitious net-zero target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040 (relative to a 2019 baseline).
We report on our carbon footprint via the CDP platform and produce our own annual sustainable reports outlining our environmental and social achievements for the previous financial period and our priorities for the year ahead. Read our 2021 Sustainability Report Here
The key areas which we are focused on building and developing include:
Our climate and environment
Significantly reduce the impact of our operations and services and play our part in tackling climate change, in line with our net zero target
Our people and business
Supporting and empowering employees both within and beyond the workplace, enhancing the employee experience and creating a learning mindset that enables our business to innovate and succeed
Our partners and community
Collaborate to understand and meet the needs of our wider communities, and have a positive impact on society
Our climate and the environment
Crown UK & Ireland have set the ambitious target of net-zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040 (relative to a 2019 baseline), with interim goals of a 45% reduction by 2025, and 65% reduction by 2030. These targets are in line with the Paris Agreement and keeping temperature increases to within 1.5 degrees Celsius.
We have made a commitment to switch to renewable energy across our entire estate and are investing in solar panels and energy reduction technologies across our estates.
We are quantifying and setting robust targets for our scope 3 emissions in 2022
Responsible Business at Crown UKI
Our commitment to net-zero for 2040: the story so far
Circular economy
Crown Workspace adopt the principles of the circular economy in all business decisions, and especially when approaching the management of our own, and our clients’, redundant assets and waste.
We have been providing circular economy solutions, that follow the waste hierarchy, as part of core service for ten years. Our services aim to maximise the lifecycle of office assets, enabling clients to reuse as much as possible internally, gain back economic value through resale, donate to charities/schools to deliver social value, and recycle and recover residual value at their true end of life.
Waste and resources
We apply the waste hierarchy in relation to our own redundant assets and waste as well as those of our clients. In line with this and our circular economy policy, we prioritise prevention and reuse, keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible, and ensuring they are recycled responsibly when truly at their end of life.
Our people and business
Health and wellbeing
We have robust policies in place covering all aspects of health, wellbeing and safety, at work and across all locations, and deliver and promote individual health and wellbeing initiatives.
All managers have mental health training to enable them to support good mental health in their teams and employees have access to an employee assistance programme to help them resolve personal issues.
In 2021, we established a comprehensive strategy for health and wellbeing, launching ‘Thrive’, our holistic health and wellbeing programme. As part of this, we deliver training sessions covering all pillars of wellbeing – physical health, financial health and mental health awareness.
We are fully accredited as an Investors in People (IiP) employer and are currently completing the mental health charity Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index to create a clear roadmap to accredit us as Investors in Wellbeing through IiP.
Responsible Business at Crown UKI
Capturing social sustainability for 2021
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to fostering a workplace with employment practices that are inclusive and fair, enabling our employees to develop their skills and reach their potential, and enabling us to attract, nurture and grow our diverse workforce.
We have a clear ED&I policy and strategy overseen by our ED&I steering group, as well as diversity networks and training courses. All our employees have personal and career development goals that address diversity and inclusion, and annually sign up to our Code of Conduct which includes a clear policy on bullying and harassment.
We involve all employees in strategy decisions by carrying out regular pulse surveys, the results of these are shared and help shape future developments.
Our partners and community
The giving back project
Our donation initiative, The Giving Back Project, helps our clients ‘give back’ to selected schools, charities and social enterprises by donating redundant furniture, IT and electrical equipment. We also support a wide range of charities offering free or reduced cost services, fund raising, service support and advice.
Sustainable procurement
We aim to create a diverse supply chain notwithstanding the limited number of suppliers and service partners we have in the UK & Ireland. We consider the Social Value Act when engaging with suppliers, prioritising local organisations and SMEs.
As part of our responsible business strategy, we are carrying out our Scope 3 audit during 2022 and plan to extend our responsible supplier policy and staff training as part of this.
Social value
As a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) we gain UN approval of our annual sustainability report and our chairman’s formal commitment to the UNGC’s ten principles, covering human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. We have set goals in each of these areas and publicly report on our progress annually.
We are a diverse and inclusive employer, with fair and ethical work practices and with a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as staff wellbeing, which is evident by our employee policies, initiatives, training and communication. Each year we enhance our training program, providing all employees with learning and development opportunities throughout the year.
We make a big effort to have a positive impact in society, making our communities stronger as we grow. Our staff are all given two paid volunteer days off a year and encouraged to use them to volunteer at a charity close to their heart. Crown also support many local and international charities throughout the year, raising funds and donating time. For example, in October each year we support breast cancer charities during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in November, we support Movember – an international charity focussing on men’s health.