FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
HMRC has named Wates’ FM division Best Sustainability Supplier of the Year at its annual Supplier Conference.
The accolade was presented to Wates for developing an innovative Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy in collaboration with HMRC, demonstrating ‘the art of the possible’ with Energy Management Systems designed to reduce environmental impact and generate financial savings.
The newly launched ESG strategy forms part of Wates’ work on behalf of HMRC, which began in 2019 and currently includes a range of hard FM services across its UK estate.
As part of the environmental initiatives, Wates installed pioneering Energy Management Systems at eight HMRC regional centres, creating savings of over £43,000 per year per site and reducing CO2 by 124 kg per day by optimising the use of air handling units and chillers.
This was achieved through the Wates Innovation Network (WIN) Portal, which was launched in 2020 to connect Wates’ customers and those in the built environment to a select group of providers of green innovation, all of which are designed to reduce environmental impact.
The Wates FM team created and set up panel pitch events with the support of Wates’ Head of Sustainable Technology, Dr Zainab Dangana, to ensure providers were demonstrating innovative ideas that aligned with HMRC objectives and goals.
Antony Collett, Managing Director of Wates’ FM business, commented: “Collaborating with HMRC to transform their ESG strategy has been incredibly rewarding, from the achieved results to the social value impact we have generated. Having this recognised by HMRC solidifies our position in the market and we are looking forward to continuing our relationship with HMRC to positively influence environmental impact.”
With the current economic crisis resulting in higher prices and more of a squeeze on resources, FMs need to ensure that they have robust building and maintenance services in place to control costs and reduce the need for emergency repairs. When it comes to drainage and plumbing there are also the challenges of dealing with extreme weather, from droughts to flooding, the need to meet stringent regulations and to avoid causing environmental damage.
UK drainage specialist, Metro Rod, has launched a survey which explores the main areas of interest for FMs in maintaining drainage and plumbing, including how they currently assess their supply chains to ensure they’re working with partners that meet the highest possible standards and provide value for money.
The results will be published online so that you can see how you compare to others within the sector.
The survey should take just 5-10 minutes of your time, and as a thank you, you will be entered into a prize draw, where one lucky winner will be picked at random to receive a £100 Amazon voucher.
To take part click here.
