Take a chance

The afternoon sessions delved deeper into the ethical, socially responsible business side of FM, for as Rory Murphy explained it: “as leaders within our sector we have choices about these things as professionals and in the way we run our businesses.”

Taking a long hard look at the impact on an organisation’s reputation in breaching people’s trust, Nick Bishop, Head of Corporate Strategy at Golin explained the hidden dangers to businesses posed by reputational risks. This was followed by a panel discussion on the commercial value of socially responsible corporate policies, referencing the recent RICS-IFMA report ‘The Social Impact of FM’ which looked at the positive reputational benefits of successful social value schemes to organisations, clients and employees.

“We recognise there’s a need when delivering public services to do more than just create a financial return,” said Edwina Hughes, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Sodexo. “The government asks for a lot of things from procurement companies and it needs to underline the social value of these very big contracts.”

Charlotte Österman, Senior Sustainability Advisor, VINCI Facilities concurred. “CSR is not about what you do with your profit, it’s about how you make it, and about how you run your business in a sustainable way that ensures you’ll be around for a long time. That is why you need to think hard about the social impacts that you are having.

Jamie Quinn, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Engie UK & Ireland felt strongly that training and collaboration for the people who are procuring the work is also needed; “as I still don’t think all areas of the public sector understand ways of assessing this, and there is a need for training, awareness and consistency.”

The conference ended with a masterclass from Danny Lemon, General Manager of the Shard who joined the FM profession after 20 years at the very top of the hospitality sector working for both the Savoy Group and Roux Brothers. He’s since applied the principles he learnt to how he manages the UK’s tallest building. “I run Shard Quarter like I would a Michelin Star restaurant,” he said. “The service we offer has to seamless and exceptional. We have to be able to deliver this service consistently to make it special and remembered.”

Lemon may have taken a chance by moving into FM, but he concluded: “This is the most challenging yet exciting and rewarding job I have ever had.”