Global architecture, design, and planning firm HLW has achieved the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) Just 2.0 Label.
According to an HLW news release, the firm is one of only 177 companies and one of the few architecture firms of its size and reach to obtain the label. The label was developed for organizations to evaluate themselves through a social justice and equity lens.
“The achievement recognizes HLW’s ongoing commitment to cultivating a people-first work environment that celebrates diversity, champions equity, and promotes inclusivity,” the release says. “A nearly two-year-long endeavor, HLW’s pursuit of the Just 2.0 Label establishes a framework for recentering the firm's culture around transparency, responsibility, and social justice.”
Initial certification surveys 22 key performance indicators across six categories:
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Equity
- Employee Health
- Employee Benefits
- Stewardship
- Purchasing & Supply Chain
Each indicator is broken down into a four-tier grading scale, which assesses where the organization falls after satisfying the baseline threshold.
Rather than self-selecting its benchmarks, HLW says it reported on all 22 indicators––in many cases, far surpassing the minimum requirements. Among its strongest categories: Gender Diversity, Engagement, Pay-Scale Equity, Physical Health, Training/Education, and Charitable Giving.
Here is the full press release on HLW achieving the Just 2.0 Label:
HLW is excited to announce our achievement of the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) Just 2.0 Label, becoming one of only 177 companies and one of the few architecture firms of our size and reach to obtain the label. Developed as a way for organizations to evaluate themselves through a social justice and equity lens for the betterment and sustainability of people, product, and the planet, the achievement recognizes HLW’s ongoing commitment to cultivating a people-first work environment that celebrates diversity, champions equity, and promotes inclusivity.
“Over the last few years, we have spent considerable time looking inward, reflecting on the focus of HLW’s practice and the environment we have cultivated here,” said Susan Boyle, Managing Partner. “As a practice, we are steadfast in the belief that we can drive change in our communities and make a meaningful impact on our world; aligning with the Just program has allowed us to advance that mission at greater depth.”
A nearly two-year-long endeavor, HLW’s pursuit of the Just 2.0 Label establishes a framework for recentering the firm’s culture around transparency, responsibility, and social justice. This effort was spearheaded by BEYOND, the firm’s internal sustainability, resilience, and building performance consultancy led by Global Director of Sustainability and Wellness Jonce Walker, in close collaboration with Project Manager Stephanie Haedrich. Serving as a nutrition label for the firm’s “performance” along a series of targeted metrics, the Just framework also provides a platform for continued introspection, evaluation, and improvement.
“We knew from the beginning that our pursuit of the Just 2.0 Label would define our organization for the future, from policies and practices to the expectations we have set and commitments we have made,” said Walker. “Empowered by HLW’s willingness to be transparent about often-times difficult subjects, we took great time and care in this process and have been humbled by our achievements.”
Initial certification surveys 22 key “performance indicators” across six categories, including: Diversity & Inclusion, Equity, Employee Health, Employee Benefits, Stewardship, and Purchasing & Supply Chain. Each indicator is broken down into a four-tier grading scale, which assesses where the organization falls once satisfying the baseline threshold. Rather than self-selecting its benchmarks, HLW reported on all 22 indicators––in many cases, far surpassing the minimum requirements. Among its strongest categories: Gender Diversity, Engagement, Pay-Scale Equity, Physical Health, Training/Education, and Charitable Giving.
The rubric also established measurable opportunities for performance improvement across a handful of indicators, reporting on which will be required as HLW commits to recertifying every two years. The firm has already made internal adjustments, using the framework to inform new initiatives and strategies, with more planned in the coming months under the purview of Anjali Mathai, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at HLW.
“We could not be prouder of the considerable strides HLW has made in becoming a more transparent and just organization, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to highlight the hard work being done here; but this is only the beginning,” said Mathai. “We recognize the consideration, time, and effort that is required to sustain equity, particularly on a global scale, but we are committed to fostering a purpose and action-driven environment as we look to what’s next.”
Related Stories
Market Data | Jul 24, 2023
Leading economists call for 2% increase in building construction spending in 2024
Following a 19.7% surge in spending for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings in 2023, leading construction industry economists expect spending growth to come back to earth in 2024, according to the July 2023 AIA Consensus Construction Forecast Panel.
Hotel Facilities | Jul 21, 2023
In Phoenix, a former motel transforms into a boutique hotel with a midcentury vibe
The Egyptian Motor Hotel’s 48 guest rooms come with midcentury furnishings ranging from egg chairs to Bluetooth speakers that look like Marshall amplifiers.
Office Buildings | Jul 20, 2023
The co-worker as the new office amenity
Incentivizing, rather than mandating the return to the office, is the key to bringing back happy employees that want to work from the office. Spaces that are designed and curated for human-centric experiences will attract employees back into the workplace, and in turn, make office buildings thrive once again. Perkins&Will’s Wyatt Frantom offers a macro to micro view of the office market and the impact of employees on the future of work.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 19, 2023
World’s first prefab operating room with fully automated disinfection technology opens in New York
The first prefabricated operating room in the world with fully automated disinfection technology opened recently at the University of Rochester Medicine Orthopedics Surgery Center in Henrietta, N.Y. The facility, developed in a former Sears store, features a system designed by Synergy Med, called Clean Cube, that had never been applied to an operating space before. The components of the Clean Cube operating room were custom premanufactured and then shipped to the site to be assembled.
Performing Arts Centers | Jul 18, 2023
Perelman Performing Arts Center will soon open at Ground Zero
In September, New York City will open a new performing arts center in Lower Manhattan, two decades after the master plan for Ground Zero called for a cultural component there. At a cost of $500 million, including $130 million donated by former mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the Perelman Performing Arts Center (dubbed PAC NYC) is a 138-foot-tall cube-shaped building that glows at night.
Codes and Standards | Jul 17, 2023
Outdated federal rainfall analysis impacting infrastructure projects, flood insurance
Severe rainstorms, sometimes described as “atmospheric rivers” or “torrential thunderstorms,” are making the concept of a “1-in-100-year flood event” obsolete, according to a report from First Street Foundation, an organization focused on weather risk research.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 13, 2023
Walkable neighborhoods encourage stronger sense of community
Adults who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to interact with their neighbors and have a stronger sense of community than people who live in car-dependent communities, according to a report by the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California San Diego.
Sustainability | Jul 13, 2023
Deep green retrofits: Updating old buildings to new sustainability standards
HOK’s David Weatherhead and Atenor’s Eoin Conroy discuss the challenges and opportunities of refurbishing old buildings to meet modern-day sustainability standards.
Contractors | Jul 13, 2023
Construction input prices remain unchanged in June, inflation slowing
Construction input prices remained unchanged in June compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices were also unchanged for the month.
Government Buildings | Jul 13, 2023
The recently opened U.S. Embassy in Ankara reflects U.S. values while honoring Turkish architecture
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has recently opened the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. The design by Ennead Architects aims to balance transparency and openness with security, according to a press statement. The design also seeks both to honor Turkey’s architectural traditions and to meet OBO’s goals of sustainability, resiliency, and stewardship.