Services
- Strategy Development and Execution
- Sustainability, Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Governance Policy Development
- Goal Identification & Current State Assessment
- Sustainability Report Development, Reviews & Refinement
- Sustainability Webpage Content Development & Review
- Strategy Execution
- Continuous Process Improvement
- Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Reporting Support and Enhancement
- Tenant/Resident Relationship Enhancement
- Asset Level, Fund Level and Organizational Level Action Plan Development and Implementation Plans
- Energy & Sustainability Retrofit Expertise for Identification, Contracting, and Execution including
- Identification of Financing Opportunities
- Team Training and Development
Our turn-key services help your organization become a high performance operation by leveraging Sustainability to lower costs increase profits and gain competitive advantage.
Sustainability Assessment
- Overall Framework and Strategy
- Potential for Positive Financial Impact
- Operations
- Acquisitions/Due Diligence
- Property Management
- Engineering
- Asset/Portfolio Management
- Other as Appropriate
Phase I – Discovery
Phase II – Assessment Interviews with Key Stakeholders
Phase III – Review Assessment Report with Project Sponsor
Phase IV – Present the Assessment Report findings to Client Executives
Strategy Development
- The completed Assessment Report provides the framework for strategic plan creation
- CSS facilitates a Sustainability Strategy creation session which will establish:
- Vision and clarity of opportunity
- Issues to address
- Specific action steps
- Roles and accountability
- Project management framework
- Next steps
- CSS and Client review and finalize the agreed upon Sensible Sustainability Strategy™
- CSS conducts face-to-face with internal stakeholders to:
- Review and discuss the Plan
- Obtain final agreement and executive support
- Transition to the Plan execution phase
- Identifying and outlining key Sustainability Objectives that tie to an organization’s business objectives
- Developing a set of prioritized Strategic Initiatives
- Identify framework, roles and accountability to enable companies to not only successfully execute but also track the performance over time
- Ultimately the Sensible Sustainability Strategy™ will be embedded into the way a company does business
Implementation Framework Design
Executing the Sustainability Strategy
Assessment
Action:
- Understand core business strategy
- Identify key Sustainability related risks/opportunities
- Clarify gap between current state and objectives
- Provide high level recommendations and strategy
Impact:
- Sustainability goals are strategic and not set in isolation
- Current risk and opportunity is clear and adds credibility
- Required action/initiatives are totally clear
- Recommended way forward is mapped out
Plan
Action:
- Identify and engage all key stakeholders (internal/external)
- Communicate Vision and Current Gap
- Facilitate planning session and produce Draft Plan
- Accomplish transfer and acceptance of accountability
Impact:
- Full engagement of all key internal and external people
- Goals are totally clear and improved by their participation
- Objectives are translated into a fully executable project plan
- Accountability is clear, in place and results are measurable
Execute
Action:
- Launch plan execution and governance
- Launch client stewardship process
- Identify and understand emerging dangers
- Capture and understand new opportunities
Impact:
- Action is being taken and monitoring is in place
- Project “sponsors” are always fully aware of progress
- Complacency is avoided at all times
- Flexible approach incorporates all new opportunities
Improve
Action:
- Incorporate response to New Risks and Opportunities
- Incorporate all positive outcomes into Business & Branding
- Ensure Sustainability Plan stays linked to Business Plan
- Ensure PSS capability is ingrained with the internal team
Impact:
- Opportunity is translated into measurable/accountable action
- Sustainability starts to drive new revenue, tenant & investor retention
- Activity is always relevant and adds value to business
- The culture is permanently changed to “just the way we do it”
Property Assessment & Sustainability Action Plans
Corporate Sustainability Strategies provides Sustainability Property Assessment and Action Plans during due diligence or after acquisitions to help identify ways to enhance asset performance. These can include LEED and Energy Star gap analyses as well as overall operational performance and broader Sustainability measures to help drive better environmental and financial performance. The Property Assessment process starts with a site visit and review of property condition assessment reports (typical report done as part of acquisitions), underwriting proforma, intended hold strategy, and investment brief. From the report reviews and site visit, CSS can identify and provide a Sustainability Action Plan for:
- Opportunities for Energy Star and LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations Maintenance (LEED EBOM) – EBOM Certification & Re-Certification
- Operating Expense Savings Strategies
- Tenant Engagement Approaches
- Broker Engagement
- Retrofit recommendations as well as identification of rebate and other incentives opportunties
- Re-Launching of the Property – based on new ownership, new management and new high performance sustainable operating strategies
- Operational audits, ASHRAE Level I & II audits, retrofit identification
- Sourcing incentives and recommendations
Sustainability Recognition & Reporting Services
CSS has a proven track record of helping clients achieve the many benefits of greater Sustainability Recognition. As just one example, CSS has helped one client achieve 13 Energy Star Partner of the Year recognitions from the US Environmental Protection Agency as well as multiple year, top 5 ranking and Green Star performance in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB).
CSS Supports its Clients with Recognition Submissions & Reporting Requirements
Energy Star Partner of the Year for Leadership in Energy Management – recognizes top organizations for efforts to drive improved energy efficiency National Building Competition – recognizing properties, and teams for being the “biggest energy loser” Energy Star Label for Buildings – recognizing buildings operating with a rating of 75 and above (on a scale of 1-100)
US Department of Energy’s Better Building Challenge
Requires companies to make a commitment to improving the performance of their portfolio Recognizes achievements via implementation model recognition as well as asset and portfolio level improvements to water and energy efficiency
Building Owners and Managers Association
The Office Building of the Year BOMA 360 Recognition serves to support and recognize leadership, and top performance. With this third party recognition and validation, tenants, investors and employees know that a given property, portfolio and or organization are driving value. All stakeholders also recognize firms can do well by doing good.
Case Study Development
Case studies are a terrific way to highlight sustainability accomplishments for many stakeholders: tenants, investors, partners, employees and the broader community. CSS can help organizations build compelling case studies that help firms reinforce the compelling business drivers for improved sustainability execution.
GRESB
Company level and portfolio level sustainably, social and governance performance assessment. More about GRESB Assessment & Reporting (on this site) • Visit the GRESB site
SASB
The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) develops and disseminates sustainability accounting standards that help public corporations disclose material, decision-useful information to investors. That mission is accomplished through a rigorous process that includes evidence-based research and broad, balanced stakeholder participation. More about SASB Guide (on this site) • Visit the SASB site