Atelier Ten’s Green Committee

Sustainability Report 2009

In 2009, Atelier Ten invited all staff to express interest in joining the new Green Committee. Interest was such that we had to draw lots for positions. As Chair of this new group, I am excited by the challenge of harnessing this enthusiasm to effect real change. As an engineering practice, we could be guilty of seeing sustainability as only being about energy and water use. However, we realise that we can make a bigger difference by strengthening our procurement policy to communicating our ideas through improved links to schools, colleges and universities to working with local communities. We believe that our aspirations for 2010 reflect this.
Laura Mansel-Thomas, Associate Director

Our aspirations for 2010

At Atelier Ten, we have developed a series of goals for 2010 that will, if achieved, support our stated ambition of reporting at GRI Level B in 2011.

• We will establish measures to reduce our energy and water use and waste generation across the next twelve months and report on our progress at the end of the year. In the first instance, we will seek to understand current energy and water use and waste generation from our London office by interrogating existing data records and establish a target for reduction across the year. This will establish an improved baseline that will be used to set a challenging target for further reductions in 2011.
• We will review and enhance our existing procurement policy with a view to extending our approach to a wider range of supply chain issues. This will establish a methodology for measuring and reporting which will allow us to set targets in 2011 for improved performance.
• We will develop and implement a Biodiversity Action Plan which will outline measures to help engage our colleagues and our neighbours in enhancing biodiversity in our local environment. The Plan will allow us to set further goals for 2011.
• We will define our approach to local and global issues including our work with local communities. In 2010, we will focus on developing our educational and school links to help raise awareness on environmental issues and empower others with ideas for ways to respond.
• Internally, we will develop a Communications Strategy which will engage our colleagues, helping to raise awareness on our overall sustainable policy objectives and putting in place the changes necessary to meet our goals.
• We will review our existing offsetting and carbon neutrality policy for unavoidable carbon emissions to ensure we are accountable to our clients and the public.