Stories | The Forum | How to understand sustainability in the workplace

Decorative image — In conversation: Planet Mark and Fora
Fora has partnered with Planet Mark to empower our members to work towards reducing their carbon emissions. Our Sustainability Manager, Budelia Probert Watt and Steve Malkin, founder and CEO of Planet Mark, chat through how we do it.
Written by
Riya Patel

Steve Malkin: We launched Planet Mark in 2013 to help organisations – particularly small to medium-sized businesses – to measure and reduce carbon emissions every year. Since then, we’ve grown to certify over 800 companies. Our key message is that to get to net zero, companies must work together. A company wanting to reduce its carbon emissions needs to be talking to all the other companies in its value chain about how to reduce their carbon as well.

Budelia Probert Watt: Planet Mark has come about because we’ve noticed more of our members taking a keen interest in reducing their own carbon footprint. We work with Steve and his team to provide the first steps for Fora members in moving towards certification, then eventually a pathway to reach net zero. It’s about taking all the work we are already doing together and making it accessible to members too.

SM: We have a rare, long-term relationship where Planet Mark certifies all Fora’s sites, and Fora as a business. This is crucial because Fora’s members can be confident that the carbon emissions associated with each site are measured annually and emissions reductions are captured, as part of Fora’s Planet Mark Business Certification. Whether Fora members are certified with us or not, businesses can start to act on sustainability just by being here with Fora. That said, individual business certification is the best first step towards net zero – and we support all our own members to measure annual carbon emissions within easy organisational control. And, thanks to our partnership, Fora’s members get a 10% discount for Planet Mark Business Certification.

BPW: Our own certification gives Fora members reassurance that we’re doing what we say on sustainability and shows how we are taking further steps. For example, in 2024 Planet Mark supported us in providing annual estimations of the average carbon emissions associated with each member’s office space at Fora, using verified data from Fora’s Planet Mark Business Certification process.

SM: Without these numbers, organisations can get excluded from a pitching or tender process – so it’s a hugely important element of what we can offer to Fora’s members.

BPW: Data capture is a huge part of sustainability. Yet it can be frustrating and difficult for a lot of smaller businesses, who don’t have as much internal resource. Here, we’ve calculated the approximate building emissions attributable to our members to support them in their carbon emissions measurement journey.

“A company wanting to reduce its carbon emissions needs to be talking to all the other companies in its value chain about how to reduce their carbon as well.”
Steve MalkinCEO, Planet Mark

SM: From being a member ourselves, we know an environment like this is a community. A big part of sustainability is about learning and acting together. There’s no one who has all the answers. We did a UK business census on net zero and found that 73% of organisations think it is a strategic priority, but they don’t always know what to do, or where to start.

BPW: Rather than just getting a stamp of approval from Planet Mark, there is ongoing business engagement. We have regular carbon clinics for SMEs and a bi-annual sustainability forum hosted in partnership with Planet Mark. We bring together members across all our collection, with quite a jam-packed agenda. We spotlight those working in sustainability who have interesting things to share. There’s also a space where members can share the things that they’re struggling with, which another member might be able to support with. It’s also an opportunity for Fora members to feedback to us on how we are doing.

SM: Sometimes an organisation wants to do the right thing, but it’s complicated. It can feel like you are pulling a heavy weight. Connecting with others who are also trying to reach these goals is quite reassuring. It’s good to know there are other people out there who are trying to do the same thing.

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