At Workman-managed Skypark Glasgow, ESG is a central pillar of the occupier experience, with all the benefits that environmental and social responsibility brings to a workplace.
All the ESG features of the contemporary Hermes office scheme – located on the doorstep of Glasgow’s lively Finnieston – are a big attraction for Skypark’s 50+ occupiers, which employ more than 2,500 people.
The offices, spread across a 565,000 sq. ft campus, not only boast a nursery facility, but has also recently created a biodiverse garden, designed specifically for the children to enjoy, and experience as a learning tool.
Read about the wide range of ESG developments at Skypark…
Waste not, want not: efficient waste management
The move towards a circular economy is one of the primary objectives at Skypark and in order to do this we are working with all occupiers to help them actively take part to help divert as much waste as possible away from landfill and incinerators back into the economy.
Ultimately the goal is to contribute to a higher quality, clean and sustainable environment, through a dedicated recycling regime.
Key targets include:
- reduce CO2 emissions from operations by eliminating waste transports and repeat visits to site,
- increase recycling rates and minimise non-recyclable output from the estate,
- eliminate general waste going to landfill and minimise waste for incineration,
- segregate all trade waste leaving the site and ensure all refurbishments account for their waste.
To facilitate this, the team has created a custom-built Waste Recycling Centre, this facility allowing monitoring, control and segregation of all waste streams leaving site.
The basic premise is that every bag leaving any occupier’s demise is labelled and identifiable. These bags are then opened and sorted by hand on site to separate out all valuable waste. Anything recyclable is segregated and anything either contaminated or non-recyclable is then sent for incineration, with nothing going to landfill.
Recently the Skypark team has joined a scheme to collect all the single use coffee and soup cups across the estate and get these sent off site for specialist recycling.
Lastly, the recycling team is now separating all ferrous metals to a separate skip, so all items with metal components are stripped and separated where possible, and the metal, wood and plastic recycled separately.
Growing together
Earlier this year the property management team provided a small corner of the estate to the onsite nursery children and staff for them to plant and grow their own vegetables, herbs, and flowers. One of the maintenance team built some planters for them from scrap wood.
This has really developed from there to be a focal point for all the children, their parents, and staff. The Workman onsite property management team has recently supplied the garden with two pear trees and apple tree and a plum tree, and the Woodland Trust has also just provided 11 more samplings to further enhance the surrounding areas.
The children really enjoy growing their own vegetables, they are on their second crop of potatoes, and now carrots, radishes. And they have just taken delivery of their very own wormery…
Donate free stuff
As part of the ethos to recycle and re-use, the onsite team does everything possible to prevent furniture and office supplies going to waste. As occupiers come and go at Skypark, anything of value left behind is offered other incoming occupiers.
If the Workman onsite team can help populate their offices with recycled furniture, fixtures, or fittings, they will do so. It often helps smaller start-ups get up and running faster, and saves items going to waste.
The team also offers equipment and furniture to local schools, charities and anyone in need. Only recently 12 desks, meeting tables and chairs were gifted to a new occupier, over 30 desks to a local company, and dozens of items to a local Glasgow primary school.
Healthy commutes
Skypark boast an indoor cycle/bike park, where occupiers can securely store their bikes, dry their clothes on wet days and shower before starting their working day. Secure lockers and bike repair stations are also on offer. Skypark also hosts Dr Bike on site once each month, offering all occupiers a free bike service, carried out by fully trained engineers.
Meet the bees
The Skypark team holds regular meet the bees sessions onsite, and has hosted local schools and occupiers to come along and meet the residents of the site’s own beehives.
Wellness for all
Adjacent to the bike store, there is a custom treatment room, which is regularly occupied by therapists providing treatments to tenants at a reduced rate, from massage, to nails and eyebrows.
Celebrate creativity
The Skypark occupier liaison team arrange, and the Workman onsite team installs, a regular art display in the main reception area, with the artists changing out every month or so. The site team spend a few hours on each changeover, hanging and positioning the artwork for the exhibits. This helps keep the reception area fresh and vibrant, enhancing the overall feel as occupiers and visitors enter the space.
Connecting through events
On the first Wednesday of each month the Skypark marketing team organises a social on site and the Workman onsite team facilitates this by removing all the furniture, setting-up the tables, displays and power supplies.
The Workman onsite property management team then assists during the event with food and drinks dispensing, as well as providing cleaning services during and after the events, before reinstating everything back to the normal reception layout post-event.
These events are a major attraction for all occupiers and visitors, with music, snacks, and drinks on offer along with a variety of market stalls, arts and crafts etc. It is an opportunity for occupiers to socialise, have some fun and relax.
Skypark summer festival
Each year the Workman team arranges a larger event or festival day, with a stage, some dancers, bands, and other entertainment.
This is a family day for Skypark occupiers to enjoy, with food and a mobile bar where all occupiers and their families are invited to come along, join in the fun and have some free food and drinks.
The Workman team builds the event, dealing with all the furniture, the supply and build for the marquees, the decorations and provision of staff to clean and secure the areas. We get the bars up and running and then stay back afterwards to breakdown the event and clean up.
In 2023 this was a French-themed events with crêpes, French bands and singers, and circus performers staging a show and teaching the kids how to juggle.
These events are a real draw for occupiers and their families and very well attended every year. In the past there have been charity abseils down the building, zip-wires off the building, and even 100m waterslides down the main roads.
At the end of the day…
The Skypark security team offers a walk to car service, so that if any lone worker feels uncomfortable walking to their car at night, a team member will assist them in reaching their car safely.
