Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) represents the three central factors used to measure the sustainability and ethical impact of a company or business.
For more than 75 years, SSOE has provided unparalleled client value and shaped a better future for our world. As we look forward, we honor this impactful history and use it as the foundation for a new journey—a journey with renewed passion that recognizes the impact we can make on our environment, our communities, and the standards by which we work and hold ourselves accountable.
Our commitment to ESG is a direct output of our vision: designing and building the future for our clients, colleagues, and communities. A future that respects the environment, encourages an inclusive community and diverse thinking, where ethical practices are foundational to all that we do. These are more than aspirational goals for SSOE. They are our most important core values and an integral aspect of everything we do.
In short, ESG is not part of us. It’s who we are.
Vince DiPofi, PE
Chief Executive Officer
SSOE Group
SSOE’s inaugural ESG Report showcases our commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical business conduct. This framework and strategy will measure and assess the ESG impacts of our projects and practices.
This report highlights our significant contributions to the AIA 2030 challenge, our intentional efforts to promote a more inclusive and diverse culture, and the comprehensive annual training our employees receive on ethics, safety, and cybersecurity—all of which have contributed to an impressive 10% increase in our annual EcoVadis ESG score.
While we’re proud of our achievements, we recognize there’s still more to do. We aim to set new benchmarks, inspire positive change, and demonstrate that ESG is not only an organizational duty but also a global community imperative.
As a silver member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), SSOE uses the LEED rating system to measure design options, offering our clients a proven, cost-effective way to reduce the environmental impacts of design and construction. Sustainable design means designing for long-term use, flexibility, and optimal performance. A member of the USGBC since 2002, SSOE designed the world’s first and only automotive manufacturing plant to receive a LEED Platinum certification.
We aim to implement sustainable design principles into all our work. We strive to balance operating costs while meeting quality, process, safety, and security requirements, regardless of whether a sustainability certification is pursued.
Utilizing cutting-edge technology and data analysis, our sustainable design approach integrates key sustainability elements into project design and construction, including resource conservation, energy and operational efficiency, indoor quality, and environmental management.
We’re delivering design solutions to enhance value while embedding methods to reduce overall carbon footprint, improve wellness, and build resilience.
SSOE is committed to reducing the volume of water utilized in the built environment. We track water usage on all of our LEED-certified projects.
SSOE encourages Construction Waste Management Planning on LEED-certified projects. Every ton of waste diverted from the landfill prevents nearly three tons of CO2 equivalent from being released into the atmosphere.
Saving energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions which benefits both the environment and business operations.
As SSOE continues to grow its business, we will need to be vigilant about implementing actions to aggressively combat the increase in our Scope 3 emissions. As a consequence of our growth, we have seen an increase in our emissions related to business travel, services purchases, which include subconsultants and intellectual work – and product purchases.
We have set aggressive reduction targets for 2030 from our 2022 baseline year, in line with climate science, which include:
We believe in sharing the advantages of our success in the communities in which we work through programs, volunteering, financial support, and donations.
We’ve set up programs that support education and promote diversity. We sponsor initiatives aimed at protecting the environment and we work to better the lives of low-income individuals and families in SSOE communities. Through small individual efforts, and more extensive ongoing programs, the people of SSOE are generously making their mark.
All charitable donations must reflect the corporate goals in one or more of the following:
Monetary donations, volunteerism, pro bono work, and use of our property / facility may be made to eligible organizations. Used equipment donations of salvage and surplus items may be made to civic or charitable organizations (handled through our employee club). SSOE is a major supporter of United Way through both corporate and employee donations. Any charities receiving funding from United Way will not be eligible for additional donations from SSOE.
Click here for more information on SSOE’s charitable giving.
Adhering to these standards of ethical conduct is essential to earning the trust of our clients, suppliers, employees, and the communities in which we work. What is implied by the words “ethical conduct”? We define it as always honoring our commitments and conducting all our business practices with honesty and integrity. No matter what goals we set as a company, we will adhere to these standards in achieving them.
We promote and support ethical behavior proactively throughout our organization, making it clear it is a cornerstone of our corporate culture. We start by ensuring that, wherever we do business, our employees understand company policies, laws, rules, and regulations that apply to their specific role. That is both their right and responsibility. To serve as a guide, we have summarized our code of ethics and standards of business conduct and made it available not only to employees, but also to our partners, clients, and vendors, via this website.
Building on an across-the-board awareness of our standards, SSOE encourages employees, partners, and suppliers to take action if they witness unethical behavior. If employees are unsure whether an action they are considering is permitted by law or SSOE policy, they are encouraged to seek advice from a technical expert, manager, or human resources professional. We will support those who come forward by prohibiting retaliation and providing third-party reporting channels for those who might be uncomfortable reporting behavior directly to a colleague.
Our business partners are an important part of our success. Because we expect all employees to exemplify ethical business conduct, we build relationships with business partners who are committed to the same set of values when executing our services. In addition, if our partners and clients witness unethical behavior, they have access to the same reporting channels as our employees.
Click here to view SSOE’s complete code of ethics and standards of business conduct.
SSOE holds our suppliers and their subcontractors to the same standard of conduct we expect of ourselves. To ensure these standards are carried out, we have formalized our expectations by including language in all of our contracts covering major human rights concerns for both our suppliers and their subcontractors. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.
As a company whose success is rooted in the unique solutions we provide, diversity of thought is a strategic advantage. Research shows that diversity enhances the core values that have defined our company since our founding, including innovation, quality, and collaboration.
SSOE encourages employees, partners, and vendors to feel comfortable reporting potential ethics violations through the proper company channels. However, we recognize that a third party may be more appropriate in some cases. Messages to this helpline are monitored by a third party, and it is available to anyone with concerns about ethics violations at SSOE. While you will be asked to provide contact information to facilitate the investigation, it is not required, and if provided will be withheld from SSOE personnel.
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