Florence: As the BREEAM Partnerships Manager at BRE, I’m responsible for developing and strengthening relationships with our BREEAM partners across the globe. My team and I work closely with external stakeholders to ensure they feel supported, informed, and confident in delivering BREEAM, while also helping to identify opportunities for collaboration and continuous improvement.

My role is very much about connection — bringing people together, understanding different perspectives, and making sure partnerships work smoothly in practice as well as on paper. Ultimately, my aim is to help our partners succeed, because strong partnerships are essential to scaling the positive impact BREEAM can have on the built environment worldwide.

Florence: I joined BRE over 13 years ago directly from university, starting in a customer-facing role in the BREEAM Operations Team. BRE has helped me build a career that utilises my skills in relationship management. I’ve grown with the organisation, developing a deep understanding of our standards, partners, and global network along the way.

Florence: For me, sustainability is ultimately about people and connection. I’ve always been curious about world travel, new cultures, and shared experiences, which have shaped how I see our responsibility to protect the places and communities we value. The solution to climate change doesn’t come from individuals alone, but rather from collective action.

Florence: One of the biggest challenges is the perception that acting sustainably is a cost, rather than focusing on the potential returns and savings. Organisations are understandably concerned about costs and often struggle to see beyond their current financial position.

I work to ensure stakeholders understand why sustainability matters, but also what the financial benefits are and how this connects to their own priorities. By encouraging open conversations and sharing best practice, sustainability becomes part of the culture rather than an add-on or inconvenience, making long-term progress far more achievable.

Florence: It’s made me stop and think about even the smallest day-to-day choices and how I can reduce my impact. For example, if an item is single-use, I don’t consider it sustainable, even if a product is biodegradable. The impact of producing that product repeatedly will almost always be greater than using a single item multiple times.

Florence: Focus on progress, not perfection, as it can be overwhelming to try to address all issues at once. Using continuous improvement processes to tackle a few strategic issues at a time will yield significantly better results.