Cushman & Wakefield—Global Occupier Services
Services provider to buildings and dwellings
Chicago, IL
9,403 employees | 150+ client sites | 21 EHS professionals
As a company that specializes in managing other companies’ facilities, Cushman & Wakefield takes a total solutions approach to safety management for its clients, employees and partners. Since many of C&W’s EHS professionals work at a client site, it’s vital to maintain a consistent level of safety management. To that end, C&W operates a Global Code of Business Conduct, explains Kenyon Brenish, senior managing director of EHS, requiring all employees to operate safely and in compliance with local regulations as well as C&W’s own EHS policies and procedures.
“We are committed to zero incidents or harm; zero damage to our brand and the reputation of our clients; and a culture that values and supports safety leadership,” Brenish states, adding that EHS is integrated into every aspect of C&W’s business.
The company’s 360 EHS is an enterprise-wide behavior-based program designed to increase employee hazard awareness, improve management safety skills, and demonstrate every employee’s commitment to safety. The 360 program requires specific management behaviors. For instance, all meetings need to begin with a safety message, and any visit to a client site must include a safety CWALK. These CWALKs are safety site/ facility walk-throughs designed to encourage individuals to observe all facets of safety in whatever task is being performed.
“Our contractor safety management process is above and beyond any OSHA or ANSI standard,” Brenish points out, noting that controlling risk of all contractors and vendors is critical for C&W’s safety success. “We believe all incidents are preventable, including those of contractors. Therefore, review and approval of EHS performance of our contractors, prior to initial contractor selection and/or renewal, is valuable.” All contractors are also required to align their safe-work practices and procedures with C&W’s EHS requirements.
Safety leadership is very strongly encouraged at C&W, and in fact the company has an EHS Career Development and Planning Process specifically targeted to EHS professionals and leaders. The company also holds an annual EHS summit.
As early as April 2020, just one month after the pandemic was first declared, C&W already had prepared a detailed plan for its clients on how to safely bring their employees back to work. The plan includes these “Safe Six” workplace readiness essentials: 1) prepare the building; 2) prepare the workforce; 3) control access; 4) create a social distancing plan; 5) reduce touch points and increase cleaning; 6) communicate for confidence.
