SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Facilities Support Group takes a socially responsible approach to all aspects of its operations, the impact that these may have on the environment and its role as a leading business in the communities in which it operates. We are committed to acting responsibly and as benevolently as possible with regard to the environment, and the people we come into contact with.

Our main policy areas are:

SUSTAINABILITY

FSG has operated to ISO 14001 since 2011, and our strategy encompasses three main areas:

REDUCTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS FROM OFFICE-BASED ACTIVITIES

We have had a campaign in place since 2001 and have achieved much higher levels of recycling, reduced energy usage through better management and use of low energy products, and much-improved print and toner management. Our staff are constantly reminded of our commitment to sustainability and the positive role they can play.

CONSIDERED DESIGN TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CLIENT PROJECTS

Our ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 processes call for an environmental impact assessment to be carried out alongside the more traditional design risk assessment. We are committed to using our design expertise to reduce the scope of projects (particularly refurbishments) and to specify sustainable products and low energy systems.

EFFECTIVE PLANNING TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF SITE OPERATIONS

We use BREEAM and SKA techniques to monitor energy usage during construction and, as part of both our ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 processes, find ways to minimize it. We insist on separation of waste to maximize recycling, try to source locally and allocate staff to projects who live as close to the site as possible. We educate our supply chain to follow similar procedures.

HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Health & Safety is the number one priority at FSG. It is the first item on the agenda of board meetings and it commands, by far, the greatest investment in the business. The group is OHSAS 18001 accredited.

PEOPLE

At FSG we recognize that people are our most valuable asset. To support and empower them we concentrate on several areas:
Investing in communications through our newsletter, the intranet, staff briefing and many social activities.
Providing comprehensive training and development.
Operating a flat, empowered structure.
Designing remuneration schemes that seek to reward appropriate behavior.
Widening the ownership of the business.
Behaving in an entirely inclusive and non-discriminatory fashion.
Recognizing the role of the family in supporting hard work and dedication.
As a result, we enjoy one of the lowest staff turnover rates in the local design and build industry.

COMMUNITY

We recognize that we have a role to play in the wider community by virtue of our resources, activities, and employment. In this regard, we:
Encourage staff participation in community events and voluntary activities.
Play an active role in local affairs through chambers of commerce.
Assesses the potential impact of our construction activities on local communities and seek to minimize these.
Form links with higher education establishments to provide training and employment opportunities to graduates.
Seek to identify opportunities to recycle used corporate assets (furniture, computers etc) into the education and voluntary sectors.

CHARITY

FSG has a proud tradition of supporting charities through corporate activities and encouragement of staff:

We provide corporate support to The ASHA Trust who support Black ladies with day-care services around Johannesburg, allowing more mothers to take part in the economy, safe in the knowledge that their children are being safely looked after.

GREEN BUILDING MEMBERSHIP

As members of the Green Building Council, we recognize the significant impact that design, construction and occupation of buildings have on the environment. Our objective is to work with and for our clients to ensure each project is designed and built to meet present needs without compromising the resources of future generations. On all our projects we strive to identify, control and minimize our impact on the environment in achieving our objectives.