In 2009, British Land established its first sustainability strategy focused exclusively on environmental concerns. By 2015, the company was to have reduced its energy use and carbon emissions by 20%, water use by 10% and have implemented a zero-waste-to-landfill policy at its development sites. Those targets proved to be easily attained, so halfway through the programme the goals were doubled to 40% and 20% respectively. 

Now that the results are in it is clear British Land either exceeded or came close to hitting all four targets. Over the past six years, the company reduced its energy consumption by 41%, carbon by 38%, water use by 15%, and 97% of sites send no waste to landfill. However, not wanting to rest on its laurels, British Land has now published its second sustainability strategy, setting targets for the coming five years.

The overarching theme of their new strategy is to move from minimising impacts and managing risks, to creating positive impacts. Their main focus areas include:

• Wellbeing: ensuring the safety of the environment and increasing the wellness and productivity features for the users of the buildings;
• Community: understanding local needs and improving peoples’ ability to influence relevant decisions;
• Future proofing: 15% reduction target per square meter on landlord embodied carbon versus 2015, reducing flood risk and preparing for regulation and resource constraints through process innovation;
• Skills and opportunities: improving skills where needed, aim for local procurement and employment and target of 3% employees in supply chain to be apprentices.

Read more about their new strategy here.