The Leader - January/February 2008 - (Page 70) applied research ceNter FiNdiNGs Two New Studies from CoreNet Global Show Sustainability Is Now a Mainstream Business Practice BY richard kadzis While the maiN FocUs oF the receNt coreNet GloBal sUmmit iN atlaNta Was oN taleNt, there’s stroNG liNkaGe BetWeeN the maNY issUes sUrroUNdiNG the Need For more hUmaN capital aNd the Broad spectrUm oF sUstaiNaBilitY practices. ompanies that are committed to green buildings and other forms of sustainability are also addressing one of the key attributes that employees – mainly younger workers – look for when they seek employment. So the results of two new studies released during the Summit on the state of sustainability in multinational companies is certainly good news for people seeking jobs with enterprises that are centered on the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. And it’s good news for companies, because they are gaining a stronger grip on the economic benefits of the 3BL, especially the profit component. Moreover, both of these newlyreleased sustainability studies show that going green isn’t just for early adopters, it’s now a mainstream practice by a growing number of Fortune and Global 1,000 firms. coreNet GloBal – Jll sUstaiNaBilitY GloBal sUrveY resUlts C Several key reasons make the survey on Corporate Real Estate Perceptions and Trends in Sustainability a landmark study: n For one study, CoreNet Global teamed with Jones Lang LaSalle to survey four Global Summit audiences this past year in Singapore, Denver, Melbourne and London. More than 400 industry executives responded, so it’s a highly concentrated sampling of senior-level business decision makers. Most run or influence real estate, facilities and workplace programs for large companies, so their views, by extension, reflect the intent of their senior management in the C-Suite and business units - making it a strong business case for sustainability in the corporate setting. 2 0 0 8 the le ade r n n A strong majority (79 percent) views sustainability as very important today or within the next two years A growing proportion (77 percent) is willing to pay a premium for sustainability Others (22 percent) are willing to pay the same but the new study exposes a couple of gaps: n A slight majority (52 percent) say premiums (extra cost for sustainable solutions) will be 5 percent or more (the documented industry average is actually around 2.5 percent) 70 J aN Ua rY / F e B rUa r Y
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