This month, SOM joined leading businesses in the United Kingdom to urge Prime Minister Boris Johnson to create a Green Recovery Plan in response to COVID-19. Joined by Lloyds Bank, Asda, Siemens, Aviva, Sky, Mitsubishi and more, SOM, represented by London-based design partner Kent Jackson, is calling on the government to deliver a COVID-19 recovery plan that builds a more sustainable and resilient UK economy.
“The current crisis, in moving us all away from business-as-usual, has already created shifts in how we operate, and we believe we must use the recovery to accelerate the transition to net zero. Efforts to rescue and repair the economy in response to the current crisis can and should be aligned with the UK’s legislated target of net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest,” urges the coalition in a letter to the Prime Minister.
The initiative prioritizes three key elements: to drive investment in low carbon innovation, infrastructure, and industries, as well as improved resilience to future environmental risks; to focus support on sectors and activities that can best support sustainable growth, increase job creation, and accelerate both the recovery and the decarbonization of the economy; and to include financial support measures to ensure business-led climate strategies are science-based and aligned with national climate goals.