#SustyTalk: Grosvenor’s Tor Burrows on keeping the sustainable business momentum post-COP26

#SustyTalk is all about keeping edie’s loyal readers connected to sustainable business leaders across the world, whilst reminding us all that sustainability and climate action must go on through the current Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. It launched in the early stages of the pandemic in 2020 and has continued since then.

The latest episode sees edie’s senior reporter Sarah George in discussion with Grosvenor Property UK’s executive director of sustainability and innovation Tor Burrows.

This exclusive interview provides Burrows’ reflections on the private sector’s position at COP26 and, specifically, whether the built environment sector – which accounts for more than one-third of global annual energy use and emissions – had its voice heard. Burrows attended COP26 for the full two weeks, representing Grosvenor Property UK and working closely with the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC).

Burrows also discusses some of the key workstreams that have been underway at Grosvenor Britain and Ireland since the London-based firm announced its plans to become a net-zero business by 2030. These include the recent acceleration of the company’s carbon offsetting strategy; it was announced in October 2021 that offsetting would be used from 2022 rather than 2025, as originally planned.

At the time of that announcement, Grosvenor Property UK’s chief executive James Raynor said: “We recognise the complexities of offsetting, but when governed robustly and alongside commitments to reductions in emissions, it is an important tool to achieving net-zero; so, why wait?”

Burrows builds on this sentiment in this discussion, outlining how carbon offsetting can support robust emissions reductions rather than serving as a weaker replacement.

This #SustyTalk was recorded as part of Grosvenor’s involvement with edie’s Countdown to COP26 campaign, which ran from May to November 2021.

Click here to see our catalogue of #SustyTalk video interviews.

Click here to see all of our COP26-related content, including our summary report for businesses.

Want to be featured on a future episode of #SustyTalk? Email newsdesk@fav-house.com. Please bear in mind that our interview calendar is typically booked several weeks in advance. 

edie Staff