Great Portland Estates recognises that the importance of the
effectiveness of its operations in respect of the environment
together with interaction with its key stakeholders, including
investors, employees, neighbours, communities, customers and
suppliers is key to ensuring the long-term sustainability of its
business.
The Board has responsibility for the approval of policy
relating to social, environmental and health
and safety matters and is determined to apply high standards to
social, environmental and ethical issues in all areas in which the
Group operates including the management of the joint venture
operations on behalf of the joint venture partners. The Group’s
alignment of Corporate Responsibility (CR) risks with its Corporate
Responsibility Value Statement, strategy, and objectives and
targets together with the Group’s Health & Safety and
Environmental policies are approved by the Board on an annual
basis. In addition the Board receives annual reports on the
environment, health and safety and corporate responsibility and
regular reports during the course of the year from Toby Courtauld
and Timon Drakesmith on health and safety and environmental
matters, where appropriate.
The Group’s Environmental Policy Committee is chaired by Toby
Courtauld and includes the Finance Director, the Head of Projects,
the Head of Asset Management, the Safety, Health and Environmental
Manager, Energy Manager, Company Secretary and Assistant Company
Secretary. The Corporate Responsibility, Health & Safety and
Environmental Working Groups are chaired by the Finance Director,
Timon Drakesmith, and include: the Head of Projects, the Head of
Asset Management, the SHE Manager, the Senior Building Manager,
Representative of Employee Safety, the Company Secretary and
Assistant Company Secretary.
This year, the Company was delighted that its efforts were rewarded
with a series of awards covering a range of corporate
responsibility activities.
Property industry
Directors and senior management are encouraged to represent the
Company’s views and contribute towards the development of the
property industry. Toby Courtauld is a member of the Management
Board of the
Investment Property
Forum and a member of the Policy Committee of the
British Property Federation
(BPF).
Robert Noel is Chairman of the Westminster Property Association
(“WPA”), an association of property owners and their advisers in
the City of Westminster and is on the Board of the
New West End Company, a
formal Business Improvement District encompassing Bond Street,
Oxford Street and Regent Street. During the course of the year WPA
was actively involved in lobbying Westminster City Council, through
a series of workshops, on the development of its Core Strategy as
part of the Local Development Scheme, the key planning framework
under which the Group will have to operate over the next decade. In
addition, it has had ongoing discussions with EDF on power supply
and the Mayor’s office on planning policy as well as hosting a
number of seminars on topical property issues for its
members.
In June 2008 we joined the Considerate Constructors Client
Partnership and have taken an active part in debating the direction
of the Scheme.
Objectives and targets
Great Portland Estates set a total of 43 CR targets at the
beginning of 2008 covering the key areas of:
- our people;
- environment and the portfolio;
- tenants and the community;
- health and safety;
- suppliers; and
- investors.
81%of these were fully achieved. If targets have not been achieved,
where relevant, these have been included again for 2009 to
emphasise our commitment. To ensure the highest level of
achievement, where appropriate, elements of the Group’s objectives
and targets are also included within individual employees’
objectives and targets.
Progress against CR Objectives and Targets
Download our 2009 sustainability
objectives and targets pdf
Download our progress against our
2008 objectives and targets pdf
Download our 2008 objectives and
targets pdf
Download our progress against 2007
objectives and targets pdf
Download our progress against 2006
objectives and targets pdf