1.

INTRODUCTION
Sustainability, defined as meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
(World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) has grown in
significance across many business organisations. Increasingly, organisations
are concerned with the impact of their business activities on environmental,
social and economic sustainability, as well as the impact of sustainability
issues on their business (Adams and Frost, 2008; Holton et al., 2010; Lindsey,
2011). Hence, the perception of sustainability, as a matter of benevolence
with no direct impact on an organisations core business strategies, has
changed over the years as organisations actively incorporate sustainability
principles into their core business strategies. Increasingly, organisations are
now integrating sustainability issues into their corporate reports for several
reasons (Global Reporting Initiative, 2008; KPMG, 2008) such as complying
with regulatory changes or improving their environmental, social and
economic reputation. The increasing importance of sustainability and its
wider variety of sustainability issues and drivers affecting and influencing
stakeholders with different values, has initiated a debate on the appropriate
issues and drivers that provide guidance towards sustainability assessment
and improvement in the built environment. Although, at first glance, the wide
range of issues may appear inundating, the aim is to reduce the multitude of
issues and drivers to a limited set to keep it simple as voiced by
stakeholders and policy makers. The built environments potential as a
significant contributor to achieving sustainability goals is well documented
and recognised within the facilities management profession (Wood, 2006;
Shah, 2007). The built environment has a significant impact on the
sustainability agenda as it accounts for nearly 40% of limited natural
resources consumed, and 40% of waste and greenhouse gases generated
(Chartered Institute of Building, 2004). Indeed, existing building stocks use as
much as 45% of generated energy to produce power and heat (Wood, 2006).
With increasing utility and maintenance costs, coupled with increasing
legislative and regulatory requirements on energy use and carbon reduction,
many organisations, committed to the sustainability agenda, have developed
sustainability policies as an integral part of their Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) (Walker et al., 2007; Loosemore and Phua, 2011).
Elmualim et al. (2010) and Shah (2007) emphasise that facilities
management activities have a significant influence over how buildings and
facilities are used and therefore are tasked to promote and implement the
sustainability policies. Thus facilities managers are at the forefront of
implementing their organisations vision and commitment towards the
sustainability agenda. Sustainability policies and drivers directly influence
facilities managers activities; however, current research on sustainability
policies and drivers influencing the activities of facilities managers is limited.
Hence identifying the key issues and drivers will reveal how facilities
managers are engaging with the sustainability agenda in the UK. For the
purpose of this paper, the perceptions of facilities managers are considered
as one that can reveal the significant issues and drivers being addressed by
businesses in the built environment.

Sustainability in facilities management is the potential contribution of

facilities management professionals to achieving sustainability goals is well
documented (Wood, 2006; Shah, 2007). In a study of the barriers and
commitment of facilities management profession to the sustainability
agenda, Elmualim et al. (2010) highlighted that facilities management
professionals, tasked with implementing and managing sustainability as a
core business strategy, face many responsibilities and challenges. However,
they also have the best chance to add value to their organisations and
customers through efficient management of sustainability issues and
practices (Elmualim et al., 2010; Holton et al., 2010; Wood, 2006). Elmualim
et al. (2010) advocated that facilities managers were at the forefront of
organisational behaviour change and in a position to influence individuals
working in business; government departments and public services. In
addition, the efficient management of facilities do have a significant influence
in determining profitability, productivity, energy management, waste
management, employee wellbeing and public perception of an organisation
(Pitt, 2005; Ayres et al., 2007; Smith, 2007; Ortiz et al., 2009). Hence
knowledge of the key sustainability issues and drivers that motivate facilities
managers to adopt sustainability practices both theoretically and practically
important. issues as well as the drivers influencing policies through a
questionnaire survey of facilities managers. Knowledge of these issues and
drivers will lead to the improvement and development of good sustainable
practices and policies within the FM industry.
1.1 Sustainability initiatives
The organizations are adopting the sustainablity principle in practice when
they undertake initiatives such as using sustainable, green or socillyresponsible materials. Moreover, this could involve using environmentallysafe cleaning product, renewable energy for lighting and transportation,
recycling or reuse of all waste, applying leadership to influence the industry,
that is buying green energy from green supplier to drive the industry and
contributing to the community that is providing programs to help solve social
problem (Hitchcock & Willard 2006). However, for the more successful
organization, sustainability principles must penetrate into all aspects of the
organization (Hitchcock & Willard 2006) and not be a piecemeal approach.

1.2 Sustainability Drivers

There is some evidence that increasing legislative pressure rather than
environmental and corporate image of businesses is the key driver (e.g.
Casals, 2006; Ayres et al., 2007; Shiers et al., 2007). For example, Shiers et
al. (2007) demonstrated, through reference to relevant literature and law
reports, that recent laws relating to energy consumption in buildings was
evidence of the ever-widening set of legal obligations regarding energy
efficiency. Legal obligations often influence business and social obligations. In
order to achieve sustainability targets, governments and international bodies
are using legislations and regulations to influence the efficient use of energy,
management and removal of waste and the subsequent reduction of carbon
emissions. Within organisations, applying these regulations is often the

responsibility of facilities managers. However, a major concern for facilities

managers is that the regulatory objectives and the business objectives of
their organisations have to be aligned at all levels (Shah, 2007) and each
community and government organisation will have its own policies. Other
studies have highlighted the relationship between organisational reputation
(Loosemore and Phua, 2011), business contexts (Pitt, 2005), client and end
user demands (Nousiainen and Junnila, 2008), and sustainability drivers and
issues. Clearly organisational values and business objectives influence at
least the sustainability issues which organisations select as being worthy of
persuing. Arguably, the differences in sustainable practices can be related to
differences in policies, which one would expect in turn to be influenced by
multiple actors like stakeholders, senior managers, governments, employees,
clients and supply chain members acting at multiple levels, as individuals and
collectively within organisations. These differences may influence the
strategic behaviour and performance of the organisations (Lindsey, 2011;
Sioshansi, 2011). Hence pressure from shareholders, clients and employees
may be a driver for current practices and understanding of sustainability. The
role of senior management as a key driver of sustainability in organisations is
well documented (Elmualim et al., 2010). Elmualim et al. (2010) emphasised
that senior managements leadership style and commitment may be a key
driver. However, as cited in Elmualim et al. (2010) and Mckinsey (2008), a
global survey of the attitudes of senior executives, identified contrasting
attitudes among senior executives about climate changes (sustainability)
influence on their overall business strategies. In the report, 70% of the
respondents viewed it as a key organisational ethos and reputational issue
while 60% viewed it as important to business strategy. However, as the
integration of sustainability with core business strategies is continuously
evolving the emphasis on different drivers will vary from organisation to
organisation as well as the responsibilities of facilities managers.

REFERENCES:
1) World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987
2) sustainability issues on their business (Adams and Frost, 2008; Holton et
al., 2010; Lindsey, 2011)
3) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (Walker et al., 2007; Loosemore and
Phua, 2011)
4) Waste and Greenhouse Gases (Chartered Institute of Building, 2004)
5)