Sustainability in our business

Our Work Environments

During 2023, projects were undertaken to redesign some of our existing global offices and to develop new workspaces in other regions.

These projects were a continuation of the work that was done in the UK in 2021 and were commissioned as part of a wider piece of work to ensure that the company’s essence and culture are consistently reflected throughout its global offices.

Alongside wellbeing, sustainability was, of course, put forward as a major consideration when engaging designers and suppliers to complete the work.

As in the UK, we strived to create an office space which embodies inclusion, with plenty of breakout areas and spaces for collaboration and social interaction – a great venue for events, workshops, and training courses alike.

Materials & furniture. The carpets used throughout the office are composed of 55% – 64% recycled content and were manufactured using 100% renewable energy (electricity and biogas). They were made in the US and are 100% recyclable.

LED lighting was installed throughout the office and is controlled by movement and light sensors to reduce energy consumption. These fittings were reused from the previous installation to avoid unnecessary replacement.

The desk chairs in the office are composed of up to 34% recycled content and the workstations 56.9% recycled content. Both of these were made in the US and are 99% recyclable.

The moss wall was made in Houston Texas, locally to the office. A living wall made of preserved moss: the carbon captured during the moss’s growth will not be released back into the atmosphere, therefore the wall fulfils a carbon capture purpose. Its eco-board backing board was manufactured from fast growing reeds and straw residue.

Materials & furniture. In line with the aim of minimising the environmental impact of the office, eco-friendly choices were made when sourcing furniture, materials & electrical components. Many of the products used in the fit-out were locally sourced, reducing the carbon footprint.

Interior finishes like the flooring and wall paints were certified for low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) by Singapore Green Building Council. The lighting design was carefully tailored to minimise power usage by using LED lights and strategically placing workspaces near windows to maximize access to natural daylight. Much of the furniture used in the space is made of recyclable materials like coffee waste, recycled wood/plastic & rubberwood.

Materials & furniture. This office, which opened in June 2023, has many ecofriendly design features, such as the natural plant wall, which helps to purify the air and increase oxygen levels, and the frosted glass meeting room partitions, which allow natural light into these spaces reducing the need for additional lighting.

LED lamps have been used throughout, and solar screen blinds with UV filters were fitted, for better employee comfort. The carpet was chosen for it’s lack of dust retention and ability to minimise ambient acoustics. Suppliers sustainability credentials were taken into account, with wood panels coming from a Forest Stewardship Council certified producer.

The installation of solar panels in the office building will help the office to maintain power during local outages. These will be fully operational in 2024. K2 continues to review the sustainability performance of its office buildings in each of its global locations.

The following table shows the energy ratings of our offices: