Sustainability & Environmental Consulting

Hammerson plc, a leading retail property development and investment company in the UK, faced the challenge of catalyzing sustainability collaboration across its property portfolio. With a goal to be Net Positive by 2030 in key areas such as carbon, resource use, water, and socio-economic impacts, Hammerson recognized the necessity of working closely with its tenants to achieve these ambitious sustainability targets. Understanding the barriers to collaboration, Hammerson engaged Bioregional to design and facilitate a workshop aimed at exploring the relationship between landlords and retailers, ultimately seeking insights and ideas for fostering collaborative action.

Bioregional utilized its expertise in sustainable retail to plan and facilitate a half-day workshop that brought together 12 major retailers and Hammerson's team. The workshop featured an inspiring keynote speech followed by discussions at four tables, allowing participants to delve into significant sustainability opportunities and challenges within the sector. This collaborative environment not only highlighted emerging trends affecting retail, such as shifts in consumer behavior and awareness of sustainability, but also generated practical solutions for the future.

The outcome of the workshop was the establishment of new relationships among participants and the development of proposed solutions to common sustainability challenges. A post-event report was created, outlining actionable steps for Hammerson, retailers, and other retail landlords to take within the next 12 months, 1-3 years, and 5 years. Additionally, five key areas of interest for innovation were identified for Hammerson to explore further with retailers. The insights gained from this initiative are expected to enhance Hammerson's engagement with retailers and open up promising collaboration opportunities, thereby advancing their sustainability objectives.