Sustainability Action Plan
Sustainability, simply, is ensuring that the decisions we make today don’t have negative impacts on our planet tomorrow and enable future generations to thrive.
It is also about ensuring we are meeting our needs in a socially just, environmentally positive, and economically viable way.
At its core, sustainability is the defining characteristic of good design and responsible operations, and we are committed to working with our clients and partners in meeting these challenges.
As part of our ongoing commitment in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, Populous:
- Is a signatory to Architects Declare Australia,
- Has achieved Climate Active carbon-neutral certification for the operation of its Australian offices,
- Utilises the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
- Australian offices have achieved ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) certification, and
- Designs all projects using our Sustainable Design Framework.
Scroll through our Sustainability Action Plan below which details our ambitious goals and reporting metrics across three business components: projects, operations and people.
Sustainable Design Framework
As designers, we have a responsibility to continuously seek new, impactful solutions in response to the realities of the climate crisis. Because the buildings we create are often vast and the centerpiece of wider community districts, our role in climate action is unique. Environmentally responsive design, energy performance, sustainable materials selection and technological integration are foundational elements to our design approach.
Populous APAC's Sustainable Design Framework works in partnership with our Design Guidelines, underpinning the value and successful design outcomes we deliver for our clients and stakeholders, and forming part of our due diligence and reporting structures. The framework ensures our commitment to sustainability in the design decision-making process is upheld through the varying stages of project delivery by incorporating eight key focus areas, referred to as actions. These are site and context, passive design, water, energy, materiality, placemaking, health and happiness, and equity.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Drawing people together is at the core of who we are, whether it’s within our practice, within our industry, or within the communities where we work. Across the Asia-Pacific region, Populous is currently developing a new CSR Strategy to ensure a sustainable future for all.
There are several key initiatives shaping how we engage, collaborate, connect and support our clients, partners, projects as well as the broader communities.
Some of our existing initiatives include, but are not limited to:
- Engaging with the next generation of designers through partnerships with universities and secondary schools, from scholarships to supporting real-world learning.
- Supporting athletes and para-athletes to bring their best and be their authentic selves through collaborations with industry groups such as Disability Sports Australia.
- Fostering gender balance through a direct focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within Populous and beyond through ongoing internal initiatives, programs and events.
- Building resiliency, adaptability and thriving collective futures by collaborating with research and education institutions.
- Taking action to advance reconciliation and build meaningful relationships with First Nations stakeholders and communities through: implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan; a partnership with CareerTrackers to support pre-professional Indigenous university students; and actively sourcing products
and services from verified Indigenous businesses. - As Populous continues our journey of sustainability, we are honoured to receive endorsement from Reconciliation Australia for our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The strategic document linked below supports our commitment to reconciliation through practical actions. It provides a structured approach to advancing reconciliation within Australia and beyond, ensuring we contribute positively to the communities we are fortunate to engage with. Our RAP is not just a document; it is a pledge to embed reconciliation into the fabric of our practice, influencing our values, culture and operations.
- DOWNLOAD: Reconciliation Action Plan
