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Audio solutions in hybrid work models: The impact on FM
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A new study has drawn attention to the concerns of the facilities management community over audio quality and its role in ensuring seamless communication and collaboration in hybrid workspaces.

Audio specialist Shure partnered with renowned market research firm IDC to delve into the challenges that facilities management teams might face in the integration of hybrid workplaces. This study, based on insights from over 600 respondents from several countries, including the UK.

The study reveals that while UK businesses are at the cutting edge of hybrid workspace adaptation in Europe, there is a noticeable shortfall in addressing the need for superior audio solutions. This oversight is evident in challenges such as ineffective communication and reduced attentiveness during virtual meetings, which many professionals attribute to subpar audio equipment.

Rob Smith, Senior Director, System Sales, Shure, points out: “Implementing a successful hybrid work strategy isn’t just about software; it’s about making sure your hardware—especially audio equipment—meets the standards your employees need to excel. Our research finds that UK organisations are at the forefront of hybrid work adoption in Europe, yet there’s a clear gap when it comes to providing high-quality audio solutions, which affects everything from meeting engagement to overall productivity.”

Globally, 72% of prosperous organisations invest in top-tier audio equipment, but the UK needs to bridge this gap. The study underscores that exceptional audio quality is more than just a technical requirement; it’s a human-centric necessity for facilities management to address.

Key findings from the IDC research relevant to facilities management include:

  • Team Motivation: 94% of respondents believe that technology investments can help recreate the natural flow of face-to-face meetings, contributing to team motivation. Staff think team motivation is poor or fair in hybrid (94%) and good/ excellent when F2F (81%) so technology that helps recreating F2F experiences can contribute to team motivation
  • Productivity: 90% of respondents say it enables and encourages meeting equity to help achieve more productive and meaningful work
  • Employee Retention: 90% of staff see it as an investment in their future at the company

*Organisation Image: 89% of respondents say it impacts the way staff and clients feel about an organisation

*Employee Well-Being and Happiness: 73% of respondents say it makes them feel valued, appreciated, and more capable

*Heightened Agility and Decision-Making: 49% of respondents say it contributes to improve decision making

For an in-depth look into the study and more valuable insights, access the IDC Infobrief sponsored by Shure > https://effortless.shure.com/content-hub/posts/idc-infobrief.

Digital skills gap is challenging security of UK companies
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Nearly half of CISOs (48%) say that the skills shortage in their teams or organisations is the biggest people-related challenge their business is facing this year, closely followed by a lack of applicants for vacancies (36%).

That’s according to new research from cyber security solutions provider BSS that explores How CISOs can succeed in a challenging landscape.

The research, which surveyed 150 information security decision makers, further revealed that the most challenging areas to recruit and retain staff for are: cloud engineering (34%), third-party assessment (31%), and risk assessment and assurance (31%).

The research also revealed that staff attrition is another key people related challenge (19%) and not just at a team level, In fact, one in ten CISOs (13%) stated that they only stay in the role for less than a year.

To combat the shortage of internal experts and high churn rates, many are turning to external companies to bolster their security offering, with nearly all (97%) of those surveyed stating that they engage with partners and service providers for their security needs.

While use of external providers is a great way to deal with skills shortages in teams –with new offerings like the virtual CISO making it even easier to manage projects end to end with external companies– churn rates, budget for external help and even training to address the skills gap all rely on one thing: recognition of the importance of cyber security. Recognition that this new research reveals is sorely lacking.

In fact, less than a third of CISOs surveyed (28%) said that the value of their role is recognised by the board with less than a quarter (22%) stating that they are actively involved in wider business strategy and decision making. And half (49%) of those surveyed agreed that there is a lack of C-level buy-in to the role of information security.

BSS Director, Chris Wilkinson said: “In the midst of a relentless digital skills shortage sweeping across all industries, the urgent call for senior leaders is crystal clear: embrace the paramount significance of cyber security and, above all, recognise the immense value their information security teams bring.

“Moreover, with the critical skills crisis continuing, seeking external expertise is no longer just a nice to have but an absolute necessity to enable companies to fortify their cyber defences to the utmost level.”

Enterprise ‘will spend $70bn on smart energy’ by end of the decade
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Enterprises facing a staggering $1.73trillion global energy bill will spend $70bn on smart solutions by 2030 to achieve renewable power and energy independence.

A report from ABI Research outlines how escalating energy prices pose a formidable obstacle to businesses and industries worldwide. By 2023, those prices will surge to a global $1.73 trillion enterprise spend on electricity consumption (which considers the electrification acceleration of vehicle fleets and robots).

As a result, businesses are compelled to reassess their energy purchase agreements with utilities, contemplate installing renewable microgrid systems, and prioritise energy efficiency. To do so, enterprises will spend a the $70 billion on smart energy solutions by 2030.

The research states that smart energy is no longer just the prerogative of centralised energy utilities.

“Enterprises and industries are assuming an increasingly important role in renewable energy generation,” explained Dominique Bonte, Vice President, Verticals & End Markets at ABI Research. “They are essentially becoming agents in the building and managing of collectively owned smart energy networks, assets, and solutions. Additionally, businesses will actively participate in new (renewable) energy markets, including trading on spot markets,”

The Smart Energy for Enterprises and Industries research service looks at smart energy through the lens of both enterprises and industries such as manufacturing, supply chain, oil and gas, and data centers.

Aspects covered range from on-site solar and wind farms to energy efficiency management, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and advanced Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), enabling enterprises to lower the cost of their energy consumption, transition away from fossil fuel energy sources, improve energy quality and reliability, and achieve more energy resilience.

Image by Daniel Reche from Pixabay

Gen Z and Millennials on the front foot when it comes to workplace change
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Younger workers are calling for enhanced wellbeing, sustainable and digital workplace practices to a greater extent than any other age cohort – and are willing to look at alternative employers if their needs aren’t met.

That’s according to research from food giant Compass Group and Mintel, which analysed insights from 35,000 global workers across 26 countries on their workplace preferences, including employee views on eating at work, sustainability, digital adoption, health, and mental wellbeing.

The the Global Eating at Work Survey 2023 reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing global cost of living crisis have made UK employees more mindful of what they want and deserve from an employer.

  • Across all age groups, 46% of UK workers say they are scrutinising employee benefits more closely than they used to, peaking at 59% among Gen Z.
  • 36% of UK workers say they feel less loyal towards their employer since COVID-19, jumping to one in two (50%) among Gen Z employees and 47% for Millennials.
  • 68% of UK workers say employers should be doing more to support employees with the cost-of-living crisis, peaking at 76% for Gen Z and Millennials.
  • 71% of UK Gen Z say having a staff restaurant on-site shows an employer cares about its employees.

The list of UK worker demands from current and prospective employers is evolving, with food provision at work viewed as a major asset in the war for talent, especially among younger workers.

  • Across all age groups, flexible working is considered the most appealing non-monetary benefit that employers can provide, followed by health insurance, discount schemes and having a staff restaurant at work.
  • 65% of UK Gen Z say an on-site cafeteria would positively influence their decision to join a prospective employer, compared to 46% average across all age demographics, and 29% for Baby Boomers.
  • 63% of UK workers (and 70% of Millennials) that have a staff restaurant in their workplace say they speak more highly of their employer to others outside of their organisation, compared to 54% for employees without any food provision at work.

Providing a sustainable and healthy food offer at work is paramount, especially for Millennials.

  • 66% of UK workers say that employers have a responsibility to pro-actively promote sustainability in the workplace, peaking at 73% for Millennials.
  • All age groups expect food outlets should help them make healthier food and drink choices through the food they serve, peaking at 68% among Millennials.
  • Younger generations are driving a meat-free revolution in the workplace, with more than half of Gen Z and Millennials happy to eat vegan or vegetarian meals compared to around a third of Baby Boomers.

Of any generation, Gen Z and Millennials are also most open to digital foodservice innovations that can improve their productivity and health at work.

  • 77% of UK Gen Z and Millennials say that taking a proper lunch break makes them more productive when they return to work, compared to 67% among Baby Boomers.
  • 69% of Gen Z and Millennial workers in the UK are happy to order food and drinks via apps, compared to less than half of Gen X (48%) and only a quarter (26%) of Baby Boomers.
  • 48% of Gen Z workers say they like to stay on top of their calorie intake by tracking their diet via an app, versus 30% among the wider working-age population in the UK.

Morag Freathy, Managing Director, Eurest said: “With Gen Z and Millennials soon to make up the largest proportion of the UK workforce, their influence in the workplace is on the rise. For employers battling higher wage demands, productivity pressures, and retention and recruitment challenges as the war for talent continues, matching workplace initiatives with the preferences and values of these younger demographics is more important than ever.

“Since the pandemic, the lines between workers’ personal and professional values have become increasingly blurred. Empowered Gen Z and Millennial workers have made it clear that they want to associate themselves with companies who share their values, provide a safe, comfortable working environment, and support their health and wellbeing. And they are willing to look elsewhere if they feel their needs aren’t being met.

“Employers today need to use every tool at their disposal to attract, retain and motivate the best talent. As our research has shown, a staff restaurant is one of the most effective ways for employers to show that they care for their staff, while positively influencing employee loyalty and their willingness to speak positively about their employer. Meanwhile, enabling workers to have proper breaks with quality food and drink is shown to give workers a chance to properly reset and recharge, decreasing work-related stress while increasing productivity.”

Matt Thomas, Managing Director, Restaurant Associates, added: “Gen Z are digital natives, born in the era of on-demand culture, and as a result they have a greater interest in and expectations of technology for foodservice in the workplace. This presents exciting new opportunities for workplace dining facilities to meet Gen Z’s growing demand for ‘right here, right now’ with dedicated apps for anything from ordering, payment, and delivery, to tracking nutrition and the carbon footprint of the meals they choose.

“The whole eating at work “journey” needs to be as smooth, quick, and efficient as possible to harness employees’ productivity. Tech-enabled options make it easy for employees to order exactly what they need, when and where they need it, seamlessly integrating refuelling into their personal work schedule. Just as importantly, employers need to emphasise these benefits across their entire workforce to ensure a similar proportion of older employees enjoy the improved workplace experience that digital can bring.”

IWFM data: FM market optimism down, economic dangers up
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IWFM’s latest research into the performance of the workplace and facilities management sector has revealed a dampened outlook for 2023, with higher costs, squeezed cash flows, and a stuttering economy among the challenges causing more than double the proportion of FMs to expect worsening market conditions compared to 2022 (15% in 2022, 31% in 2023).

Although many respondents (41%) believed the market will either improve or improve significantly in 2023, this is notably more pessimistic than the results of last year’s research, where most (59%) expected an improvement.

The IWFM Market Outlook Survey, which the Institute issues every year, puts the key questions direct to the professionals, providing members with vital insights into the sector’s performance over the past year, its expectations for the coming year, the biggest challenges it’s facing, and, new for 2023, IWFM thinking on how best to navigate them.

The report is available for members to download here.

Central London office investment hits £2.1bn in Q1, but remains dow on pre-Covid levels
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Investment in the Central London office market for Q1 2023 is expected to have reached £2.1bn in Q1 2023, with provisional figures indicating that £1.4bn was invested in the City of London and £670m transacted in the West End throughout the period.

Research from real estate services specialist JLL says that this represents a 63% drop from the corresponding quarter of 2022.

The difference is attributed to an unprecedented strong first quarter of 2022 due to the wide scale return to the office post-pandemic driving up volumes. In contrast to investment activity prior to Covid-19 the first quarter of 2023 has seen a 39% fall compared to the £3.4bn that was transacted in Q1 2019.

According to JLL within Q1 2023, there were 22 transactions across Central London. There have been a number of notable transactions, including the sale of St Katharine Dock to CDL for £395m, ChinaChem’s purchase of 1 New Street Square for £349m and the sale of 60 Gracechurch Street to Obayashi for £140m.

These muted Q1 figures follow a slow final quarter of 2022, in which £1.9bn was transacted. JLL attributed this in part to the volatility surrounding the government’s mini-budget and the subsequent fallout during September and October. JLL has predicted that investment activity will improve in the second half of 2023, with elevated capital flow from Asia-Pacific buyers, particularly those from Singapore and Hong Kong.

Julian Sandbach, Head of Central London Office Markets at JLL, said: “The level of capital deployed into Central London in the first quarter of 2023 has been relatively muted with a total of £2.1 bn invested, notably down on the corresponding period in 2022 when we saw £5.7bn committed following the end of covid restrictions and a return to office. Clearly the significant inflationary pressures seen building from summer 2022 and the corresponding rising cost of financing have impacted confidence and liquidity, leading to a more cautious environment.

“Despite these challenges London continues to see significant capital from overseas, notably Asia with largest transactions in the capital undertaken by Singaporean, Hong Kong and Japanese investors. Much of the investment is channelled into high quality, well specified, environmentally enhanced offices, which is where there is strong focus from occupiers seeking to pre-lease and capital seeking to fund or joint venture. International and domestic investors remain focussed on attaining London assets and we expect to see investment volumes begin to increase in the coming months.”

Grid instability ‘jeopardising energy security for data centers’
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A new report has mapped out temporary opportunities for facility stakeholders in major European data centre markets to maintain site resilience in a challenging climate.

Titled Uptime on the Line, the new two-part whitepaper from Aggreko interviewed 700 data centre professionals consulting for large businesses in the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. It sought insight on topics including the state of current grid infrastructure, power outages, local energy prices and supply chain delays, and how these are affecting facility construction and operations.

The report’s findings also map out how the sector’s soaring energy consumption rate is affecting its ability to put in place long-term strategies alongside short-term solutions to counteract further uncertainty and incoming stricter regulations. According to Billy Durie, Global Sector Head – Data Centres at Aggreko, the respondents’ views demonstrate how there are tactical opportunities to help manage energy and temperature control in today’s facilities.

“Data centre demand is constantly increasing, yet utility provision needed to service this new development pipeline is currently under strain,” said Durie. “Keeping new and existing facilities online during this continued expansion are therefore priorities of global importance, so it is vital conversations occur on the best way to deliver power and temperature control to sites.

“Resilience is being tested by events outside the sector’s control, including volatile energy pricing, extreme weather conditions, high consumption rates and a degraded supply chain. As this report demonstrates, old certainties such as being able to keep server halls online more than 99% of the time are now in jeopardy, meaning operators will need to explore new approaches to mitigate risks.”

With these concerns in mind, the report identifies tactical short-term solutions and more strategic, long-term options to address common obstacles for data centre professionals. This includes insufficient grid power, outages from ageing equipment, adopting demand side response schemes and fluctuating heat and power requirements.

“Today’s pressures are so significant that businesses could begin to lose sight of the longer-term view, especially in a sector dominated by short-term deadlines,” Durie concluded. “However, equipment is available today that can help lower dependency on the grid while addressing other key issues such as decarbonisation. Yet integrating decentralised energy plans poses unique issues that require expert supplier assistance to simplify and navigate.

“On-site generation, implemented with hired equipment strategies explored in this latest report, can therefore present huge opportunities for data centres, which are synonymous with high energy consumption rates. Identifying the correct equipment approach will be key to weathering growing macro issues around energy and temperature control provision, so it is crucial data centre stakeholders work closely with equipment experts to do so.”

Start Fresh campaign to encourage hiring of ex-offenders into FM roles
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One in three (30%) UK businesses in the private sector do not currently employ any ex-offenders, despite the majority (62%) saying they are struggling to fill positions and 43% finding it difficult to fill in excess of ten current vacancies.

That’s according to a new study commissioned by Sodexo, the food services and facilities management business which runs six UK prisons on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and Scottish Prison Service.

The study sought to understand the extent to which prison-leavers and ex-offenders who have not served custodial sentences have the same employment opportunities as other job seekers.

Launching the campaign ‘Starting Fresh’ today, the organisation is collaborating with partners including New Futures Network, The Oswin Project, Clean Sheet and Novus Works to help remove the perceived barriers associated with the employment of ex-offenders, which hold back the reintegration of people into communities.

Sodexo, which itself is a Ban the Box employer, commissioned research of 1,000 owners and senior leaders with hiring responsibilities across British businesses, finding nearly two thirds (61%) will be hiring ex-offenders in 2023, while 21%2  say they will not.

When asked about their greatest concerns, one quarter (25%) agreed they were worried employees would re-offend, and the same proportion agreed they feared for the safety of the rest of their workforce (25%). More than one in five (23%) agreed that they wouldn’t trust them to behave appropriately at work.

More positively, as the UK grapples with a talent shortage, many businesses this year said they are investing in training for their HR teams to ensure ex-offenders are supported in the company (40%). Almost half (46%) said that supporting their wider community was important during this time, and one of the reasons why they’d be hiring people with criminal records.

The research found a cross sample of industry leaders believed ex-offenders could help to fill shortages in specific areas such as food pickers and delivery drivers in farming (62%), and talent shortages in hospitality (57%).

When respondents were asked what might encourage them to hire ex-offenders, 22% suggested there should be a government initiative which incentivises businesses. A fifth (20%) suggested an initiative giving businesses a target for hiring ex-offenders, and 20% said a need to fill crucial skills gaps would force them to look at individuals with criminal records.

According to the UK government, though the proportion of prison-leavers who were employed at six months from their release rose by almost two thirds between April 2021 and March 2022 to 23% , this must improve.

Sodexo is itself committed to filling 5% of appropriate job opportunities with ex-offenders. During 2021 and 2022, the business had 162 DBS applications return as positive, 133 (82%) of these went on to gain employment.

The facilities management and food services company, which employs more than 30,000 people in the UK and Ireland, knows both from its own experience looking after a prison population of over 6,000 people across six prisons, with a commitment to rehabilitation, and as a proactive employer of ex-offenders, how critically important it is for both the individual and the wider community to support those with a criminal history.

Statistically, ex-offenders who get a job are less likely to re-offend, while 81% of consumers believe businesses employing ex-offenders are making a positive contribution to society.

Commenting on the findings and launch of Starting Fresh Tony Simpson, Justice Operations Director at Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “While not all ex-offenders are prison-leavers, an important aspect of this campaign is to help employers understand the quality of learning which takes place in prison. Nearly 50,000 people leave prison every year, many emerging with formal qualifications they didn’t have before.

“Prisoners at the sites we manage are prepared to be job-ready for the opportunities in the outside world, whether that be in IT support, cleaning, catering, hospitality or hairdressing and beauty.

“It can be a win-win situation because there is a huge skills shortage in many UK sectors, and we believe ex-offenders could absolutely help to plug some of these gaps, while providing a more stable and secure income, and a better future, for the individual.

“It’s positive to see the majority of businesses suggesting that they will employ from this largely untapped talent pool in 2023.

Starting Fresh is not just about helping employers understand the valued contribution ex-offenders can make to their business, but to also encourage them to proactively engage with our prisons and our partners to start the hiring process with prison-leavers.

“We have more to do, and we want to start new conversations about how we share our experience and learn from others as part of this campaign.”

Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO UK Hospitality added: “Most hospitality businesses cannot currently operate at full capacity due to ongoing labour shortages. Collectively, the industry is turning away £25 billion of potential revenue a year, with huge consequences for the Treasury. As such, hospitality employers cannot afford to turn their back on any talent pipeline that could provide vital resource. The issue is that employers don’t know how to access at scale the volume of recruits – prison leavers and other ex-offenders – potentially available to them. It’s great, therefore, to see Sodexo launch Starting Fresh which will really help demystify the process.”

To help businesses with the employment of ex-offenders, Sodexo has launched Starting Fresh, an online hub with resources for employers seeking to discover the underutilised community of people with criminal backgrounds and support them in the workplace, as well as case studies of what impact this has had on the companies and individuals involved.

Sodexo is also using this campaign to let employers know they are welcome to visit their prisons if they are interested in offering opportunities on release. Organisations with multiple job opportunities can even run employer days in the prisons.

Carbon management software spend to hit $256m by 2027
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Banks, insurers, private equity and investment managers are driving a spending boom in carbon management as they gear up to meet regulatory standards.

That’s according to a new report from independent research and advisory firm Verdantix, which predicts global spending on carbon management software across the finance industry will rise fivefold to $256 million by 2027 compared with just $51 million in 2021 as companies increasingly adopt Task Force on Climate-Related Disclosures (TCFD) regulations.

Financial services businesses need specialist software to track data and estimate Scope 3 carbon emissions stemming from their portfolio firms. The 2022 TCFD status report found 43% of financial institutions interviewed ratedScope 3 GHG emissions as a ‘very difficult’ recommended disclosure.

The compound annual growth rate among financial companies is estimated by Verdantix as 31% until 2027, while its Market Size And Forecast: Carbon Management Software 2021-2027 (Global) report forecasts the total market will grow at an annual rate of 28% to hit $1.49 billion by 2027.

Verdantix predicts that the EMEA region will be the fastest-growing and it will overtake North America as the biggest global market by 2025 and will be worth more than $650 million two years later.

North America will still grow strongly but Verdantix estimates SEC climate disclosure rules announced in March 2022 will not come into effect until 2025 for major quoted firms worth more than $700 million and 2026 for smaller publicly traded companies.

Technology, media and telecommunications firms’ spending on carbon management software is expected to grow strongly as well, mainly driven by net zero pledges and competitive pressures. Industries with fossil-fuel-intrinsic emissions and hard-to-abate emissions will grow more slowly.

Alessandra Leggieri, ESG & Sustainability Analyst at Verdantix said: “Combined regulatory and non-regulatory drivers will increase demand for carbon management software dramatically. Economic factors such as high inflation will have minimal negative impact on budgets because of strong regulatory pressure. Firms should start implementing carbon management software now to streamline their data collection and reporting. With an accurate understanding of their emissions, firms will not only comply with regulations, but also withstand reputational pressure and gain competitive advantage in their markets.”

Key challenges for Net Zero offices laid out in BCO report
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Delivering Net Zero Carbon in the Workplace, produced by University College London Consultants (UCLC) for the British Council for Offices (BCO), identifies the barriers that businesses are facing as they strive to drastically reduce their workplace carbon footprint.

The report, informed by over 100 office occupiers and building professionals, outlines the measures that can be taken to overcome these barriers – at low or zero cost. These include:

  • Greener and longer leases, with office occupiers having more say over refurbishments
  • Greater collaboration and data sharing between building owners and occupiers
  • Submetering and the use of sensors to measure exactly where energy is used
  • Use of pre-fabricated, re-used and recycled materials and furniture

Clearly, achieving net zero carbon emissions is a major component of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies in the commercial real estate sector, driven by a growing expectation from businesses, their customers and ultimately the public, to respond to the effects of climate change. The current energy crisis that began in 2022 is also focusing minds and investment on improving energy efficiency.

Yet improving the energy performance of offices is challenging, particularly as 50% of the office building stock in the UK is tenanted – meaning there is little consistency even within single buildings as to how workspaces are designed and used. Only 12% of building professionals and office occupiers consulted for the BCO’s report believe that operational carbon targets are currently being achieved by those involved in designing and developing office buildings.

The reports says that for the office sector to move from ambition to tangible action, there is an urgent need for robust benchmarks and verifiable data, as well as government requirements and incentives to support businesses’ ESG objectives and facilitate the transition to net zero.

The relationship between building owner and occupier is an essential factor in energy management. Tailoring lease agreements to promote lower energy use and carbon emissions, known as ‘green leases’, would be a potential solution to reaching net zero targets collaboratively.

Currently, it is difficult for occupiers to measure their carbon emissions accurately because targets for energy use intensity do not differentiate between different types of office. In addition, dysfunctional metering strategies do not allow for a breakdown of energy use between communal and occupier areas.

Energy wasted through under-utilisation of office space since the COVID-19 pandemic, as shown in the BCO’s recent The Future of Office Densities report, remains a concern that can be alleviated through using smart sensors and responding to demand.

Retrofit is an increasingly popular approach among developers but the works involved make it highly disruptive to any existing occupiers of a building. Careful phasing and use of prefabricated components can mitigate disruption on site – and contribute to a circular economy if designed for disassembly in the future.

The report says it is vital to assess carbon emissions associated with the complete lifecycle of a building in order to strike the right balance between operational carbon[1] and embodied carbon[2] when refurbishing buildings. A clearly defined division of funding responsibility for net zero improvements is also needed to avoid any doubt, or dispute, between building owners and occupiers.

A key issue to address is ‘Category A’ interior fit-outs (which comprise lighting and basic finishes such as flooring) being installed by the building owner and then discarded by the incoming occupier, in favour of their own bespoke fit-out.

The BCO says most office spaces would benefit from ‘Cat A+’ (plug and play) fitouts for shorter and more flexible tenancies in light of the market trends seen since the COVID19 pandemic. Prioritising locally-sourced materials with lower embodied carbon and using recycled, reused and further recyclable furniture can also support more environmentally friendly fit-outs.

Richard Kauntze, Chief Executive of the BCO, said: “The office sector has a significant contribution to make to the UK’s net zero transition. There is a clear desire from those involved in creating and occupying workspace to hit ambitious targets, but we need to see evidence of innovation and improvement which demonstrate meaningful progress.”

Dr Esfandiar Burman, Associate Professor at UCL’s faculty of the Built Environment and author of the report, said: “This report shows that greater energy and carbon accountability and more effective ESG frameworks can be achieved through greater collaboration between building owners and occupiers, along with data sharing and greater transparency.”