UK: A survey of operators in the flex and coworking sector, carried out by technologywithin, has found that the sector is still in the early stages of its ESG journey.
Between February to April 2025 technologywithin conducted a survey and interviews with flex and coworking operators from the UK (78 per cent) and the remaining 22 per cent representing operators from Europe and other global markets.
Nearly a fifth of respondents (19 per cent) currently have no ESG policy, while 22 per cent are in the process of developing one. However, nearly half (47 per cent) have already created a combined ESG policy, and 25 to 28 per cent have introduced additional policies focused on areas such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and sustainability.
A significant number (41 per cent) have only developed their policies within the last two years, while just 19 per cent have had an ESG policy in place for more than three years. Encouragingly, 59 per cent of operators review their policies annually, indicating efforts to embed ESG considerations into both strategy and operations.
The UK is legally committed to net zero by 2050 and has set an interim target to reduce emissions by 78 per cent by 2035. With buildings contributing to 42 per cent of global emissions (Architecture 2030) – 15 per cent from embodied carbon (building materials) and 27 per cent from building operations – and global building floor areas set to double by 2060 (International Energy Agency), it has never been more important to move forward with business’ ESG efforts.
Samuel Warren, sales and marketing director at technologywithin said: “At its heart, ESG means having a well-run, ethically guided business, which is thoughtful about its impact on the planet and community. Practically it means having meaningful policies in each of these areas, setting objectives and creating clear plans to deliver.”
“Alarmingly, 18 per cent of respondents report that no one in their senior leadership is responsible for ESG, while only nine per cent indicate that responsibility is shared across the board. The most common roles overseeing ESG initiatives are the Managing Director/CEO and the Operations Director, both at 27 per cent. To bridge the leadership gap, some operators are appointing dedicated ESG specialists (24 per cent), a trend that is expected to grow,” he added.
Polly Bryan, implementation & quality director at operator Orega, said: “The situation that almost every flex space operator faces is that we have diverse portfolios, with buildings of differing ages and states of maintenance, owned by a cross section of landlords, whose level of interest in supporting a consistent set of sustainability and wellness goals varies hugely.”
The full report can be downloaded here.
Highlights:
• A new report has found that the flex and coworking sector is still in the early stages of its ESG journey
• Nearly a fifth of respondents (19 per cent) currently have no ESG policy, while 22 per cent are in the process of developing one
• Nearly half (47 per cent) have already created a combined ESG policy, and 25 to 28 per cent have introduced additional policies focused on areas such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and sustainability
• The UK is legally committed to net zero by 2050 and has set an interim target to reduce emissions by 78 per cent by 2035
