Youcef: As a Key Account Manager at BRE, my role is to work closely with some of our key clients, supporting them use BREEAM in a way that genuinely supports their business objectives as well as their sustainability ambitions. That means building strong relationships, understanding what matters most to them, and translating sustainability frameworks into practical, achievable outcomes.

A big part of my job is cutting through complexity. Sustainability can feel overwhelming, so I focus on helping clients prioritise what really makes a difference and integrate it into their projects from the outset. If we get that right early on, everything else becomes far more effective and far less painful.

Youcef: Before joining BRE, I built a strong foundation in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), with a particular focus on EUA carbon pricing and its impact on corporate strategy and investment decisions. Working closely with market and regulatory mechanisms gave me a clear view of how organisations respond to policy signals, cost drivers, and incentives when managing risk, capital allocation, and long-term performance.

This experience strongly shaped my view of sustainability as an economic lever rather than a constraint, very much in line with the principles set out in Our Common Future, the Brundtland Report published in October 1987, which framed sustainable development as balancing environmental responsibility with economic and social progress. That perspective has stayed with me and ultimately led me to BRE, where those principles are translated into practical, credible frameworks for the built environment.

Youcef: Beyond my professional role, what drives my commitment to sustainability is the belief that it should be practical, credible, and embedded in how decisions are made, not treated as a separate or abstract objective. Having worked with market-based mechanisms like carbon pricing, I’ve seen first-hand that when sustainability is aligned with economic reality, it becomes a powerful driver of long-term value rather than a constraint.

On a more personal level, I’m motivated by the idea of responsibility across generations. Sustainability, at its core, is about making choices today that don’t limit the options of those who come after us. Being able to contribute, however modestly, to systems and frameworks that help organisations make better, more balanced decisions is what keeps me engaged and committed.

Youcef: One of the biggest challenges organisations faces is turning ambition into action. Many have strong sustainability goals, but struggle to embed them into day-to-day decision-making, particularly when faced with tight budgets, deadlines, or competing priorities.

My approach is to keep sustainability practical and business aligned. I work with clients around the globe to integrate environmental objectives into their core operations, break larger targets into achievable steps, and maintain momentum throughout the project lifecycle. By framing sustainability as an enabler of better decision-making rather than an additional burden, organisations can achieve measurable impact while reinforcing long-term business value.

Youcef: On a personal level, I’ve become much more intentional about everyday choices, from what I consume to how I travel. Beyond that, I’m active in our local community, where we regularly clean roads and create visual signals in the streets to encourage people to consider the planet in their daily actions, while also promoting the SDGs to younger generations. These small efforts have shown me that sustainability isn’t just about grand gestures, it’s about creating habits and inspiring others to make thoughtful choices.

Youcef: My advice would be to focus on consistency and alignment. For individuals, it’s about making intentional choices every day, small actions add up and can influence those around you. For businesses, it’s about embedding sustainability into core decisions rather than treating it as an add-on: align environmental goals with strategy, operations, and culture, and look for opportunities were doing good for the planet also makes business sense. Real impact comes from making sustainable choices the default, not the exception.