There’s a climate emergency... what next?
As part of Northrop’s commitment made with Engineers Declare recognising a climate and biodiversity emergency, we’re excited to be embarking on an internal Climate Emergency Training Series.
Chris Buntine, Northrop’s Sustainability Lead, talks us through why this training is critical to embed climate leadership in our work.
Why is Northrop investing in this type training for our people?
When it comes to addressing the climate emergency and the many other sustainability challenges we face in Australia and globally, engineers can play a role in leading a rapid and just transition to a responsible, low carbon future.
As an engineering consultancy, Northrop considers taking action on climate to be an imperative and a core responsibility for all 400 employees. Northrop has a strong values-based culture of realising potential which means developing and empowering our people to be leaders and agents of positive change for the community, our people, projects and clients.
To achieve this, we need to have a deep understanding of the impact our decisions have on the health and vitality of social, ecological and economic systems. This is often a knowledge gap in engineering education. We felt it was important to provide a comprehensive educational program that gives us the knowledge, tools and confidence to embed climate leadership in our work.
Do you see the role of engineering changing?
It is our hope that our people walk away from this first stage of the training with a profound sense of responsibility and urgency, but also of hope and opportunity about the role we each and collectively can play in creating a healthier and more resilient future for all.
It is a new way of seeing the role of engineering which we think is exciting and inspiring. The training will also provide pathways for action, beginning with quick wins, the kind of things we can do immediately, as well as those which will take time and require more thought and planning.
This is the start of an on-going journey of learning and application. One that we’re looking to share with our clients.
How will this benefit our clients?
We know that many of our clients are on this same journey, of understanding and adapting to the challenges and opportunities relating to sustainability and climate change.
Northrop has a long history of working with clients to deliver sustainable outcomes, the appetite for which is accelerating across the construction industry.
This training series will better equip our people to design buildings and infrastructure which put our clients on the front foot when it comes to delivering sustainable outcomes for their business and the communities they serve.