Submission by Greengage Environmental Ltd.
Being a good ancestor
Practice
1. Does the practice have a clearly stated purpose aligned with the planetary emergency? We are looking for a bold ambition here, and a practice culture which recognises the need for long-term thinking. For example, a strong mission, a theory of change, or a sustainability roadmap.
Greengage is an independent sustainability consultancy. Our vision is simple, to live in a more sustainable world. Through leadership, innovation and collaboration, we enable the delivery of resilient places for today and tomorrow.
Sustainability is the greatest issue of our time. But how do you put it into practice? How do you achieve net zero… become climate resilient… create a circular building… measure social value… protect nature? Becoming truly sustainable is complex and challenging. It requires radical reinvention. New technologies. Close collaboration. Specialist know-how. And that’s where we come in.
We’re an award-winning team of consultants with expertise across the full spectrum of sustainability. We have a wealth of experience across a range of sectors, through all stages of planning, development, delivery and operations. We work at a corporate, strategic level as well as at a project level for a range of clients including investors, developers and public sector organisations.
2. Does the practice have a clear succession plan, which passes on ownership and protects the values and legacy of those who built and contributed to the practice? For example is the practice an employee owned trust.
We are in the process of of completing a succession plan that has been in place for over 5 years. The plan includes the purchase of all shares held by the founding director by the three remaining directors to ensure Greengage remains independent and value driven. The three remaining directors have all invested gradually over the 5 year period and have all been with Greengage for at least 8 years, two of the remaining Directors have been with the company for more than 10 years and started as Graduates in Greengage. The succession planning will continue in to the future with members of the existing team being given the option to take shares within the business, so the business remains in the ownership of the senior team, which ensures the values we all hold remain central to Greengage, who we are, what we do and why we do it.
3. Does the practice share research and knowledge for the benefit of society and the wider world? For example, you regularly carry out post occupancy evaluation and share information with others.
We regularly release insights on new guidance, changes to regulation and how we believe the industry should move to. For example, in the last 12 – 18 months we have released Insights on the following topics:
- The Social Benefits of investing in communities (industry round table)
- UK Net Zero Building Standard (our Head of ESG and Net Zero is the Technical lead for the UKNZBS Pilot scheme
- Delivering Regenerative Communities (in person event with a panel of experts)
- BNG guidance
- Carbon Literacy Training
- Whole life Carbon and Embodied Carbon Guidance updates
- What’s next in the Green Age (insights to the future of sustainability)
In addition members of our team sit on working groups for RIBA, IEMA, CIEEM, UKGBC, BPF, BBP amongst others, on topics including circular economy, whole life carbon, embodied carbon, social impact, BNG, nature-based solutions and climate adaptation and resilience.
Project
1. Does the practice advocate for long-term thinking at the outset of projects? Do you initiate projects with long-term thinking and challenge the client on design life? Also, can the practice demonstrate that this approach has worked – with a shorter or longer design life, or an innovative approach to financing or payback period?
We are a sustainability consultancy with a vision to live in a more sustainable world. This means that all the advice we provide is given to maximise the sustainable nature and long-term benefit of all the projects we work on. Examples of work we have delivered in recent years includes:
- Working with Kensington and Chelsea BID to inform a how they deal with flooding issues within their remit. We mapped areas of green infrastructure and areas of flooding, making recommendations on where new areas of GI could be delivered and the expected impact on flooding. Using Ecosystem Service valuation tools, we were able to show the climate resilience such interventions would bring to the BID
- We assisted GPE in creating and setting a BNG and embodied carbon KPI, baseline and strategy. This was incorporated within the first ESG-linked revolving credit facility to be issued by a UK REIT.
2. Do your projects take account of the future climate and the need for resilience? For example, do the projects demonstrate flexibility, design for adaptation, design for disassembly, non-deterministic solutions, or demountable structures.
As sustainability consultants all our advice takes in to account future climate and the need for resilience. Core services we offer include circular economy statements, whole life carbon assessments, sustainability strategies, energy modelling, overheating assessments, climate adaptation and resilience advice and BNG and Environmental Net Gain Assessments. Recent work has included climate resilient mapping for Canary Wharf Group, using ecosystem service assessments to help design new masterplans in Greater Manchester, Climate Adaptation and resilient work for Liverpool One amongst others. For British Land we coordinated the Exchange Square redevelopment, part of our role was to identify opportunities for material reuse. As a result of work, granite paving and upstands being removed from the site were repurposed in a variety of locations including some as waterfront steps in Sunderland. Decorative stones from the water feature were sent to the British Library and demolition waste was used in the tree pits.
3. Do the majority of your projects go beyond mitigating negatives and towards optimising positives? For example, are they meeting or exceeding the RIBA 2030 Challenge.
Yes that our project go beyond mitigating negative effects and towards optimising positives. On the Exchange Square project, our advice ensured a 61% reduction in embodied carbon. Our Biodiveristy projects deliver net gains on all of the sites we work on, with an emphasis of onsite net gain as the priority. We are also leading the way in terms of Environmental Net Gain and using Ecosystem Services valuation tools to demonstrate net gain. We have prepared multiple corporate strategies for Biodiveristy and social impact which commit major private sector organisations to go beyond mitigating negative impacts and legal/policy compliance. A good example would the Grosvenor Property UK’s Biodiversity Framework, an innovative strategy Greengage prepared for the delivery of improved biodiversity-linked environmental performance across its standing portfolio and future developments. We have prepared similar strategies for British Land, Canary Wharf, Landsec, Hibernia and many more.
Co-evolving with nature
Practice
1. Does the practice use biophilia within the office or regularly host meetings and retreats in natural settings? For example do you have extensive planting within the office or rely on natural patterns and imagery for stress relief or quiet areas.
We have bought a variety of plants for the office with plants on every desk and taller climber plants in key locations around the office. We also have a small courtyard outside which we have helped landscape along with the landscape architecture firm that share office space with us.
2. Can the practice share examples where it has considered nature in decision making? For example by having a nature proxy to encourage eco-centric decision making, using natural systems as inspiration for the company structure, recognising the seasonal nature of people’s capacity and workload or celebrating equinoxes and solstices together.
We are leaders in nature, nature-based solutions and how to design to encourage nature back in to urban environments. Multiple examples of our work here can be viewed on our website and include:
- Grosvenor UK Biodiversity Framework
- GPE Net Zero and BNG Roadmap
- Low Line, Southwark – A green strategy
- Wild West End – Encouraging nature through green infrastructure
- National Trust – Measuring benefits for people and nature
3. Is the practice supporting nature locally and nationally? For example, does the practice support local gardens, gardeners, planting programmes, rewilding programmes or advocate for changes in legislation to protect nature.
We have prepared the supporting information for several Local Planning Authorities to justify planning policy for greater than 10% biodiversity net gain. We are also advocating for legislative change in Biodiveristy and other sustainability topics, working on task groups such as UKGBC, UKNZBS, Leti and others to prepare and update guidance for a range of sustainability issues. We are currently working with Flagship Homes to look at the impact of changing management regimes in their housing estates to allow more species diverse grasslands to form. We are monitoring community feeling and engagement, Biodiveristy increase as well as carbon sequestration in the soils.
Project
1. Can the practice demonstrate projects which strive to match the performance of a mature ecosystem? As a minimum this would mean achieving biodiversity net gain.
All of our projects, where we are the ecologist/Biodiveristy specialist, achieve a BNG of at least 10%. Where this is not possible on site, we support our clients in achieving this with offsite compensation. In addition, members of our team have been key contributors to the industry guidance on BNG and sit on BNG working groups for the likes of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). We have also supported several LPAs with the evidence base to justify an increase in % net gain written in to draft planning policy, for example London Borough of Tower Hamlets and City of London.
2. Is the practice working on material stewardship? For example, evidence could be shown through repeated use of low carbon materials, extensive material libraries and research or publications supporting responsible use of materials and elimination of waste.
As sustainability consultants we do not recommend materials specifically, however, we do undertake extensive material reviews based on current design plans from clients and architects. We undertake Circular Economy and Life Cycle Analysis work, we also advise about material choice and embodied and whole life carbon. Through this advisory role, we promote and support the responsible use of materials and elimination of waste.
3. Do the majority of projects demonstrate the use of biologically-inspired approaches such as Bioregionalism, Biophilia, Biomimicry, Ecomimicry (also referred to as Ecosystems Thinking, Industrial Ecology or Industrial Symbiosis) or BioTRIZ?
No.
Creating a just space for people
Practice
1. Does the practice have a progressive EDI policy and can you evidence many forms of diversity, which are welcomed and acknowledged, within the practice?
Greengage is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace that respects and values individual differences. We have a robust EDI policy that outlines our zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and harassment and details our objectives to promote diversity at all levels. Our recruitment processes are designed to attract a diverse pool of candidates and we use blind recruitment to eliminate bias in the screening process. We also include EDI training as part of our annual leadership programs aimed at promoting an inclusive workplace. We are proud to have increased female representation on our leadership board by 133% meaning that the makeup of our leadership board is now more than 50% female in the last 12 months which has brought new perspectives to our strategy. 20% of our workforce are non-British and 17% are non-heterosexual.
2. Does the practice operate a no overtime culture, meet the living wage consistently, and stipulate a fair salary ratio between staff of all levels?
Due to some of the work we do, ecology surveys, a proportion of our staff have to work unsociable hours at times so to undertake surveys of animals when they are active e.g. bats. Our policy on dealing with this is clear and well tested. Either our staff work flexibly e.g. start later in the day on the day of the surveys or later the next day, in order to get sufficient rest and downtime between work. Another option is that staff can accrue TOIL, which can be used when they want. We are a partner of the Living Wage Foundation and ensure that any suppliers we use e.g. office cleaners as well as our own staff, are all paid at least the London living wage. Salaries are benchmarked against industry and salary increases and bonuses are decided by the senior leadership team which includes Directors and Heads of Services.
3. Does the practice support charities, community groups, social enterprises, action groups and others through pro-bono work, charitable giving or in-kind donations?
The team at Greengage choose a charity of the year each year. Once chosen, any company associated fundraising undertaken in that year raises money for the chosen charity. In 2024 the chosen charity was Action Through Enterprise Ghana. In 2025, our chosen charity is Alzheimer’s Society. Examples of fund raising activities include pot luck lunches, cake sales and individuals undertaking activities such as cycles, tough mudder events and alike. We also support Landaid annually and have undertaken pro bono work for Landaid looking at delivering new temporary accommodation for the homeless in Bristol. We regularly provide work experience for graduates and those interested in starting a career in the sustainability world and also provide career intros to schools.
4. Does the practice publicly refuse to work with certain clients, suppliers or organisations on ethical grounds?
We do not work on oil and gas projects or other projects that promote fossil fuel use or that are environmentally damaging e.g. airports etc. We also do not take on work that does not fit with our own moral and ethics, examples of projects we have turned down in recent years includes asylum hostels and intensive chicken farms.
Project
1. Do the projects demonstrate deep engagement with local stakeholders and end users? For example, is there evidence that your project engagement goes beyond consultation towards co-design?
Alongside biodiversity and sustainability, we also provide social impact/social sustainability services. We embed ourselves in design teams and take part in community/stakeholder engagement wherever we can. Examples of community engagement we have undertaken on projects includes asking communities to mark on a plan of the site where they feel unsafe. This was for early consultation on a masterplan project. By the end of Teh event we had an idea of where people felt unsafe and as a response we could provide deign interventions that would help mitigate this and eliminate the perception of crime. This allowed a clear design intervention to be communicated to the stakeholders to show how the future masterplan could benefit them directly.
2. Do your projects create connected and resilient places which positively contribute to their neighbourhoods and allow equality of access? For example, do your projects create economic opportunity, retain value locally and generate social value?
All of the above. On many projects we are the biodiversity, energy, sustainability, socio-economic and social impact advisers. Our advice all stems from a mission to improve peoples lives and to live in a better world. Delivering climate resilient places for both people and nature is key to what we do. Examples of projects where we have demonstrated this include our input on schemes such as Low Line, Southwark, Catford town centre masterplan and Luton Town masterplan, all of which we led on how nature based solutions and green infrastructure can make places more climate resilient, improve peoples health and reconnect people with nature for example. On other schemes we design, implement and monitor the social value impact, be it job creation, community engagement etc.
3. Do the majority of your projects promote equity in society, and consider all people, not only the building inhabitants? For example, do your projects show due regard for workers within the supply chain and take active steps to avoid modern slavery?
We help design projects for all users, the residents, the workers the local community etc. On the Brentford football stadium project and the surrounding masterplan, we evidenced the Social Return on Investment that could come from having a world class sporting facility in close proximity to high density residential. We have also designed Social Value guidelines for several major investor developers, such as Great Portland Estates, on how they can maximise and monitor social value form the schemes they deliver.