Pay It Forward: "First With The Head, Then With The Heart"
Mike Bascombe says the commercial real estate sector is notoriously slow to adapt.
Mike Bascombe, 40, Incendium Consulting; Instant Offices; Sussex, UK.
Position: Principal.
Area of expertise or focus: Sustainability.
What has been your biggest challenge in your particular role/? How have you overcome those obstacles? The commercial real estate sector is notoriously slow to adapt, and we are in need of better data for ESG strategies and reporting. This is part of what is exciting about our work at Incendium Consulting, where we are looking at how the sector will evolve at a systems level. Until now, there has not been reliable emissions data in the sector. As global companies with Net Zero targets look to flexible workspace, they need operators that support sustainability performance and help their route to de-carbonization. Unfortunately, operators often fall short.
At Incendium, which is part of The Instant Group, we are helping operators (and clients/companies) determine their consumption data, which is essential as sustainability data reporting becomes mandatory from both customers and compliance.
We are launching a new service that takes basic emissions data, assures their validity and converts them to emissions using global best practice guidelines. Each asset then gets a report to guide improvement and ultimately drive down emissions from building use. Crucially, Incendium ensures this data is reportable and for external reporting. By making sure it is up to standard we ensure the data can be used towards Net Zero targets. Without access to emissions data, there can’t really be any meaningful change towards lower emissions and a sustainable future for the industry. We want to get every operator and client on board to start that change.
What about your current role/position at the company are you most happy with? The potential for change is what’s most satisfying. The built environment contributes significantly to global emissions, and we need to reduce this rapidly. I see every client contact and every project as a step toward reduction, so the knowledge that I’m chipping away at the issue is hugely rewarding. My currency is impact, so making sure we are guiding clients through meaningful change to drive that impact brings me both joy and satisfaction. Being at a firm with such a diverse client base allows that impact to come in many shapes.
What is the best piece of advice you have received that has helped you succeed in your industry? Also, do you have any advice specifically for the next generation? Be transparent and encourage transparency. Sustainability is a journey for every company. Some are more mature than others, but no one has it fully cracked. Essential to this industry is transparent disclosure. We are here, we know we have a long way to go, we are working on it, we want to be better. Making sure that we as consultants guide our clients with this in mind, whilst also holding ourselves to the same high standards, is vital. The next generation needs to make this even more prevalent and continue raising the bar.
Would you advise any younger person to begin a career in CRE? Absolutely! The built environment as a whole is such an interesting place to work. It is the front-line of sustainability — where people live, work, commute, play, and love. All the many elements that make us human collide most intensely in this space. This means that making change and working here deals with real world issues. Everything you do affects lives in a hugely important way. From my sustainability perspective, the behavior change needed to move to a low carbon economy will be driven by urban change. It’s hugely rewarding, and we need as many people working on it as possible.
Please share with us the best lessons learned or a surprising component of your unique journey. I worked as a photographer for many years before moving into sustainability full time. I ran my own business and worked for other companies, but I learned two key lessons: 1) Quick feedback and iterative development is the key to a better end result; and 2) Design the solution with the client’s specific needs in mind.
In the photography studio, the move to digital allowed instant feedback. In hindsight, I liken this to rapid prototyping. You can try different techniques and lighting options without the penalty of time or cost, which leads to much more creative approaches to problem solving. You can get wider feedback from different perspectives and adopt new directions more quickly.
Choosing the best presentation of your work for a client’s needs was always crucial. Sometimes the client doesn’t know what problem they are actually trying to solve. Other times, they have an incomplete view of the issue. Defining the problem through client collaboration will make the end-result better.
Every project is unique and needs to be treated so. Just like a photograph.
In your opinion, what takeaways did we learn from the COVID crisis? Hybrid work is here to stay, and people will continue to build on the importance of wellbeing at work. Thankfully, gone are the days of employees suffering through unhealthy working models. Human capital is being recognized and quantified.
Companies realize that a happy, healthy and productive makes good business sense. Employees know this and as each successive generation dominates the workforce their acceptance of poor conditions reduces.
With this has also come the drive towards purpose. Working at a company that is sustainable and drives positive change for the world is a major talent magnet as more and more Gen X, Y, Z members are holding companies accountable. There is a business advantage for companies that have a clear purpose to build their companies around.
What three words, phrases, statements or mantras would you use to describe your work mindset? First with the head, then with the heart.
