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Services

Our Services are based on the Profitable Sustainability Solution (PSS). This holistic solution includes assessing your organization’s state of Sustainability then aligning a Sustainability strategy to your business goals and value proposition to stakeholders.  Additionally the PSS includes developing execution and action plans that are achievable, includes mechanisms for measuring success, gaining industry recognition,  and refinement of strategy on a continual basis. This PSS solution provides flexibility to re-align the strategy as business priorities shift and make Sustainabilitya part of the every-day way of doing things.  This commitment will drive value over the long-term for investors, tenants and employees and fulfill your value proposition to these stakeholders in your business.
Our services include:

  • 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

The Sustainability Assessment designed by Corporate Sustainability Strategies uses a unique four-phased approach.   Conducting a Sustainability Assessment of your organization will provide an outline of the current state of your organization as compared to your desired goals for Sustainability strategy and execution.  The resulting deliverable will be an Assessment Report focused on:

  • Overall Framework and Strategy
  • Potential for Positive Financial Impact
  • Operations
  • Acquisitions/Due Diligence
  • Property Management
  • Engineering
  • Asset/Portfolio Management
  • Other as Appropriate
U

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 Strategy Development process employed by our team of experts will leverage the knowledge gained during the CSS Assessment Process, and incorporate our Client’s business goals into a customized Sensible Sustainability Strategy™ that is aligned with your overall business goals and objectives. The CSS Four Step Strategic Planning Process

 

  1. The completed Assessment Report provides the framework for strategic plan creation
  2. 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
  3. CSS and Client review and finalize the agreed upon Sensible Sustainability Strategy™
  4. 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
The Strategy will focus on:

  • 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

In Sustainability Implementation Framework Development, Corporate Sustainability Strategies (CSS) views the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), Energy Star and Leadership and Environmental Energy Design (LEED) not just in terms of their iconic Energy Star Labels and associated logo or LEED certifications and plaque, but as frameworks for building in operating efficiency throughout an organization and portfolio. CSS has successfully used Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM) for more than third party verification of green building attributes.  Rather uses LEED EBOM as an operations framework upon which to build in enhanced focus on operational metrics like air quality, temperature control, occupant comfort, in addition to water, waste and energy consumption and costs.  Similarly, the CSS team has effectively used GRESB as a framework for broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) execution that not only improves GRESB performance but also improves overall strategic execution. All of these combine to drive not only improved financial performance but also improved environmental performance ‑ or the business case. CSS works with firms to design an actionable implementation model (Action Plan) based on real world action plans and benchmarking, to assess performance using Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager.  Once action plans are refined at a company, fund and property level, implementation and performance measurement become ingrained into how the company executes. Throughout the Sustainability Strategy implementation, Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), developed with our clients, provide for a continuous process improvement approach to improving both environmental and financial performance.  The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star platform is a well recognized resource that CSS has successfully used to help firms cost effectively drive meaningful results and value creation.
Energy Star logoGRESB-Logo-300x182_40-percent-for-footerLogo Sustainability Accounting Standards Board

Executing the Sustainability Strategy

Starting with executive level commitment and building on the organization assessment, sustainability goals will be solidified and aligned with key business objectives.  From these efforts a detailed Profitable Sustainability Solution (PSS) will be developed to drive sustainable value creation based on the below process. As part of the strategic sustainability process, plans for asset level, fund or portfolio level and organizational level are created and then refined. Then, the implementation framework, including key performance indicators, is developed.  The PSS approach is to embed sustainability into the way an organization does business and thus ensure that results occur. Another important part of the execution process is to outline roles, responsibilities and accountability for execution.  In the end, the PSS drives clear objectives in support of the business goals and vision, with measurable success criteria.

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 logoEnergy 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)

DOE-Better-Buildings-ChallengeUS 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-Logo-300x182_40-percent-for-footerGRESB

Company level and portfolio level sustainably, social and governance performance assessment. More about GRESB Assessment & Reporting (on this site) • Visit the GRESB site

Logo Sustainability Accounting Standards BoardSASB

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

Ready to strategically leverage the value of sustainability?