Creating A Sustainable Future.

GROW caught up with Sustainability Director at Coreus, Maxine Goodey…

Tell us about your role at Coreus? How have you made a difference within local projects?

I joined Coreus as the company’s Sustainability Director in September 2019. I was 20 weeks pregnant at the time and expectedly nervous about the future. However, it was by far the best career move I have made! Andrew’s drive, ambition and values completely resonated with me and reignited my love for the sector. I could not be prouder of all the team at Coreus, always exceeding all expectations.

My time at Coreus has been filled with supporting the team on our own green growth strategies and delivering bespoke sustainability services for our clients. In such a short time I have had the privilege of working on some high-profile projects within the region and supporting them on their sustainability journeys. Petroc College is one of our key clients, and as a team we have been working to help reinvigorate their estate putting sustainable development at the core to help lower energy costs and improve wellbeing for students. We have also recently engaged with a local client to help on an exciting off-grid, net-zero carbon development. We always get excited by these types of projects putting our expertise to the test to help deliver projects that challenge the status quo, providing tangible benefits for our environment.

With the G7 summit approaching, what outcomes do you hope to see?

The G7 summit could not have come at a more important time, providing a real opportunity for genuine negotiation and a platform for significant decision making to help propel the world economy along a trajectory of net-zero carbon following the devastating effects of the pandemic. The G7 has 4 policy priorities all equal in importance and all requiring big ideas, innovation, and financing. Rather than the usual politically motivated jargon, which tends to be full of empty promises, I would like to see well thought out targets to help steer deliverable action plans that tackle these priorities, not just at home but globally as after all reducing carbon emissions is the responsibility of us all.

What are Coreus’s goals for net-zero carbon? Why do you value this?

In simple terms, we plan to be net-zero carbon by 2030. Why will it take you so long, you might ask? You may also ask why are you not offsetting your carbon right away? Well yes, we could offset our carbon from day 1, but we believe that investing within our business and supply chain to reduce emissions rather than remove them is the better approach helping pave a credible path for achieving a carbonnegative company. We believe that all roads lead back to carbon so following a net-zero carbon trajectory provides the most significant impact on our environment as we continue to use less energy, reduce waste, invest in our supply chain and be an industry leader setting an example for our competitors and our clients.

As we come out of the pandemic, how do you recommend we balance our environmental impact? It has been well reported that the UK Lockdown has had a positive impact on our environment, with air pollution in our major cities drastically reduced and wildlife returning to our streets. However, most notably has been the shift in public perception, with most people reporting that protection of the environment is now important to them personally.

We are all responsible for our planet, and it is only by collective action will governments and companies start listening to us. So please consider making some of these small changes in your daily life to help balance your impact on the environment:

• Switch to renewable energy tariffs • Eat less meat • Avoid using your car • Buy local • Avoid fast fashion • Use reusable face coverings • Measure your carbon footprint