Seizing the ESG Agenda as a Catalyst for Evolution in our FM Industry

Mr Joshua SHARMAN

Chief Commercial Director, ISS Hong Kong

Abstract

ISS believes that people make places and really it’s people and places that form the heart of our FM industry. Get the way in which these two interact right and it naturally leads onto our planet and preserving it through the ESG agenda. The climate crisis is a global emergency and we all have a duty to address this. Buildings are responsible for over 25% of world carbon emissions due to the energy they use to regulate temperature and light. It is not just the way we conduct FM operations but also the way in which we interact with our service providers and supply chain partners that define our ability to unleash innovation, drive and achieve real ESG progress. The ESG agenda is also about Social as much as Environmental Governance. The way in which the connection between people and places has been disrupted in unprecedented ways these last few years has drastically impacted the fight for talent. The health and wellbeing of employees is now recognised as a key issue that drives productivity, culture and ultimately the success of an organisation. Businesses and FM providers need to adopt new ways to attract, retain and foster talent through accommodating diverse needs and embracing a truly inclusive workplace. ESG has become as much about the need to mitigate macro risks, innovate and no longer settle for traditional approaches as it has about wanting to do the right thing. Drive these end goals for the benefit of our customers and stakeholders through FM Leadership, and ESG should seamlessly integrate into the wider evolution of our FM industry.

Biography

Joshua Sharman, Chief Commercial Director of ISS Hong Kong, has over 15 years of Facility Management experience.

Joshua joined ISS in 2020, having already worked in FM in Hong Kong and around the Asia Pacific region for the previous 7 years and in the FM industry in the UK prior to that in a variety of Business Development and Operational roles.

Joshua was born and raised in Hong Kong. Joshua’s career to date has included helping different clients to review their contracts so as to identify areas for adding value, finding savings, overcoming operational gaps, reducing wastage, improving productivity through alternative business models and driving the ESG agenda. Joshua has a passion for ESG and the unique strength our industry has to help drive it, as well as trying to attract new talent to the FM industry that he himself has gained so much learning and benefit from.