Summertown Commits To Delivering 100% Sustainable Projects By 2030 As Part Of Their New JOURNEY2030 Sustainability Goals
Summertown Interiors, the leading sustainable office fit out contractor in the region, has committed to delivering 100% sustainable projects by 2030. Announcing the launch of its ‘JOURNEY2030’ Sustainability Goals, Summertown says its three new ambitions align with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UAE’s sustainability agendas that are impacted by its business.
For Summertown—who executed the LEED Gold certified interior fit out for the Smart Dubai office —‘JOURNEY2030’ underpins its mission to embed sustainability into every aspect of its business. The strategy consists of three 2030 ambitions – to deliver 100% sustainable projects, improve workplace happiness and well-being, and achieve zero company waste to landfill.
Each measurable goal is aligned to one of the UN’s SDGs and relevant regional UAE sustainable agendas and includes external international green building standards.
DELIVER 100% SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS
100% OF SUMMERTOWN PROJECTS TO MEET EXTERNALLY ACCREDITED GREEN/SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS BY 2030
By ensuring all Summertown projects meet externally accredited green and sustainability standards by 2030, the contractor is doing its part to make the cities of the UAE resilient and sustainable (SDG 11). According to Summertown, more sustainable workplaces are a means to combating climate change and stemming its impact (SDG 13).
ZERO WASTE
ZERO WASTE TO LANDFILL FROM SUMMERTOWN OFFICES AND SUMMERTOWN PROJECTS BY 2030
In line with SDG 12 for sustainable consumption and production, Summertown aims to reduce waste to landfill from its offices and projects by 50% in 2025 and achieve zero waste by 2030. This will be accomplished by using the prevention, reduce, reuse and recycle hierarchy. Locally, this particular goal is working towards achieving the UAE Vision 2021 target to divert waste from landfills by 75%. It also aims to support the ‘national waste-to-resource program’ outlined in the UAE 2030 Green Agenda.
IMPROVE WORKPLACE HAPPINESS & WELL-BEING
CONTINOUSLY STRIVE TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK
Summertown wants UAE businesses to continuously strive to be great places to work, and the company itself aims to be one of the happiest workplaces in the fit out industry by 2030. Its goal to create inspiring workplaces which provide measurable employee health and happiness, is directly aligned with SDG 8. It will also support the UAE’s efforts to be ranked among the top five happiest countries in the world on the Happiness Index by 2021.
Marcos Bish, Managing Director at Summertown says: “We have always aimed to be amongst the pioneers of sustainable development in the UAE – our own sustainability journey started more than 10 years ago with the LEED Gold certification of our own office interior. Corporate sustainability matters – it delivers social, economic and environmental benefits and we are encouraged by increasing numbers of businesses who want to be as sustainable as possible. Our commitment to the highest sustainability standards has strengthen each year – which we detail in our annual sustainability reports. But we all need to be making a bigger contribution towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We are honoured to share our journey with the UAE’s path towards sustainability – and hope our ‘JOURNEY2030’ strategy will help pave the way for a better future.”