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Our big goal is to be the global driver of change and innovation in our industry, and our purpose is to embrace challenges to make lasting contributions. These principles inform our corporate responsibility approach, along with our core values:
- We are passionate about what we do.
- We see opportunity where others focus on risk.
- We look beyond the obvious to solve the real problem.
- We challenge people to grow.
As a technical consulting firm, Thornton Tomasetti works with clients to apply science, engineering, design, planning, investigation and analysis to help shape the future and improve the world. Our diverse skill set enables us to collaborate effectively – both internally among our integrated practices and externally with all types of service providers in a range of industries.
Our approach to sustainability management is built on the three Ps of the triple bottom line, reflecting what we have long recognized: that responsible firms operate and grow in ways that are socially accountable (“people”), environmentally friendly (“planet”) and financially sustainable (“profit”). We aspire to be one of the most sustainable firms in the AEC world, both in the way we design our projects and in how we operate as a responsible business. We recognize that with our wide-ranging expertise in the building and energy sectors, we can have a significant carbon “handprint,” or net-positive impact, and that we have a responsibility to address the challenges of climate change.
Strategy
In 2012, we founded a Corporate Responsibility department, led by a corporate responsibility officer who reports to a co-CEO and is guided by a steering committee that is representative of our diverse practices and offices. And although the department was originally established to meet the reporting requirements of the American Institute of Architects’ 2030 Commitment for carbon-neutral buildings, corporate responsibility now spans all our departments and disciplines. Many individuals, including a total of 70+ green champions distributed among our offices, contribute to progress toward meeting our corporate responsibility goals.
To manage the firm’s positive and negative impacts on the economy, the environment and people, every five years the Corporate Responsibility department works with our executive team and our Corporate Responsibility Steering Committee to update our short-, medium- and long-term strategies and reexamine our goals and measurable targets for achieving this vision (see Our Goals & Targets). We share our progress toward these goals in our annual corporate responsibility report.
By driving innovation and embracing challenges – seeing opportunity where others may focus on risk – we’ll ensure our firm’s own sustainable development and contribute to more sustainable industries. And in accordance with our core ideology, we’ll bolster our long-term growth and reduce business risks by making meaningful investments in people and the planet, recognizing that these investments drive innovation and lead to greater long-term value. Our approach will influence our clients and suppliers as we continue to build relationships with trusted partners who share our commitment.
What Was New in 2023?
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing our society. And because it affects everyone, it demands our creativity, passion and collaboration to build a better, more enduring world. In 2023, we launched our Climate Action initiative, which unites our engineers, scientists, architects and sustainability professionals – and leverages our understanding of decarbonization and resilience practices – in our efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Within our Climate Action initiative is our corporate climate action, what we do internally that is built on our corporate responsibility approach and bolsters our external project work. It includes aiming to achieve carbon-neutral business operations in our 40+ offices around the world, providing sustainability education to staff and clients, and moving the industry forward by advocating for innovative carbon-reduction policies and practices.
We help clients think holistically about proactive and reactive steps to address climate change. Under the climate-action umbrella, our decarbonization work focuses on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy supply and demand. Our resilience work supports adaptive buildings, resilient communities, and planning and policy.
We also invest in the success of our people throughout their careers to build a firm where people from diverse backgrounds want to come, grow and achieve their career goals. This year, we took an important step in our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiative by hiring our first ED&I officer, Vandana Juneja. Vandana collaborates on corporate responsibility initiatives and promotes our ED&I program. With a stronger ED&I team, we’re tracking and accelerating progress toward our goal of becoming a place where all our people can bring their authentic selves to work.