The organisation employs around 2,000 people in the UK and its services encompass a wide range of activities, including property and asset management, building consultancy, landlord and tenant services, development, facilities management and planning.
A main objective for CBRE’s asset management divisions was to provide a safe and healthy working environment for tenants across its varied investment portfolio covering the whole of the UK. For a leading real estate and property services organisation, ensuring the management of water safety and hygiene standards is a crucial consideration in choosing a risk assessment partner. Recognising its moral and legal obligations, in 1989 CBRE instructed Assurity Consulting to support it in addressing this crucial building management issue. The relationship has flourished, so much so that today the two organisations continue to work together.
“I value the trusted relationship that CBRE and Assurity Consulting enjoy and have done for a number of years. It is hugely important to me, as a Director of one of the largest business units in Asset Management, that I can be confident that with the work that our Director of HSE and Assurity Consulting do that we have the correct procedures and processes where air and water hygiene issues are concerned. The independent testing procedures and reports produced by Assurity Consulting give comfort not only to CBRE as managing agents that the buildings are enjoying the correct environment but there is added protection for both the tenants and the landlords that the information produced can be relied upon at all times”. Alison McDonald, Senior Director for the South Central Team, CBRE.
Assurity Consulting presents the findings of each report face to face and regularly attend meetings with enforcement officers present providing expert input in support of CBRE staff and buildings management practices. Working in partnership, a long-term programme was jointly established to streamline site visits and increase process consistency. Using a risk-based approach, properties within the defined portfolio were categorised in accordance with agreed measurement criteria. Assurity Consulting subsequently undertook Legionella risk assessments for each property that proved a key factor for success.
The result was a comprehensive water management approach that could be utilised across CBRE’s property portfolio, clearly demonstrating legal compliance and management control for Legionella. By positioning workplace health and safety activities alongside core business activities, CBRE gained competitive advantage and clearly demonstrated leadership in its field with a commitment to providing a safe working environment for its tenants.
Click here to read the full case study.