2022 Corporate Responsibility Approach

Thornton Tomasetti’s approach to business management focuses on the three Ps of the triple bottom line, reflecting what we have long recognized: that responsible firms operate and grow in ways that are socially accountable (“people”), environmentally friendly (“planet”) and financially sustainable (“profit”). We aspire to be one of the most sustainable firms in the AEC world, both in the way we design our projects and in how we operate as a responsible business. Thornton Tomasetti’s big goal is to be the global driver of change and innovation in our industry. Our purpose is that we exist to embrace challenges to make lasting contributions. These values define our corporate responsibility approach.

Strategy

In 2012, we founded a Corporate Responsibility department, led by a corporate responsibility officer who reports to a co-CEO and is guided by a steering committee that is representative of our diverse practices and office locations. And although the department was originally established to meet the reporting requirements of the American Institute of Architects’ 2030 Commitment for carbon-neutral buildings, corporate responsibility now spans all our departments and disciplines. To manage the firm’s positive and negative impacts on the economy, the environment and people, every five years the Corporate Responsibility department works with our Corporate Responsibility Steering Committee to update our short-, medium- and long-term strategies and reexamine our goals (above) and measurable targets for achieving this vision (see Corporate Responsibility Targets). By driving innovation and embracing challenges – seeing opportunity where others may focus on risk – we’ll ensure our firm’s own sustainable development and contribute to more sustainable industries. And in accordance with our core ideology, we’ll bolster our long-term growth and reduce business risks by making meaningful investments in people and the planet, recognizing that these investments drive innovation and lead to greater long-term value. Our approach will influence our clients and suppliers as we continue to build relationships with trusted partners who share our commitment.

What Was New in 2022?

To achieve our goal of being the global driver of change and innovation in our industry, we seek out opportunities for our design professionals to apply their technical expertise to challenging social and environmental problems. And to ensure that Thornton Tomasetti will continue as an enduring organization, we focus on areas in which our technical skills and multidisciplinary collaboration can have the greatest impacts. In late 2022, we launched our climate action initiative, which unites our engineers, scientists, architects and sustainability professionals – and leverages our understanding of decarbonization and resilience practices – in our efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.