Alasdair Ben Dixon and the RIBA Ethical Practice Guide shortlisted in the Property Week ESG Edge Awards

The ESG Edge Awards celebrate the achievements of industry leaders in ESG principles who are driving positive change throughout the property industry to benefit people, communities, and the planet.

Alasdair has been shortlisted for ESG Leader of the Year, and with Carys Rowlands, the RIBA Ethical Practice Guide is a finalist in the Education and Awareness Initiative of the Year category. You can read summaries of all the shortlisted entries here.

ESG Leader of the Year

The Award for ESG Leader of the year recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in promoting ESG values within the property sector, actively promoting and implementing ESG values and principles, contributing positively to the sustainability and ethical standards within the property sector.

Architect Michael Pawlyn has said this about Alasdair’s commitment to ESG leadership. “There can be few, if any, people in my industry demonstrating as much ESG leadership as Alasdair Ben Dixon. He has been heavily involved in the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Ethics & Sustainable Development Commission and wrote a comprehensive book on the subject. He has played a central role in The Architects Climate Action Network and in Architects Declare where he helped develop and launch the Regenerative Architecture Index – an initiative that aims to bring about a step change in the way the built environment is shaped. In addition to these achievements, he also leads by example in his architectural practice Collective Works which has completed many progressive ESG schemes.”

ESG Education and Awareness Initiative of the Year

The RIBA Ethical Practice Guide – written by Alasdair Ben Dixon and Carys Rowlands has been shortlisted for Education and Awareness Initiative of the Year.

The RIBA Ethical Practice Guide is a handbook for architects for recognising ethical issues, with tools, techniques and resources to help practitioners resolve them.

The content of the book is based on the RIBA’s knowledge schedule for the mandatory competence, and was developed through roundtable discussions with over 20 experts. The book includes case studies for real life situations, and viewpoints from around the table, asking questions and giving thought provoking courses of action.  It advises that if you start to see your actions through those lenses and try to consider them whenever an ethical dilemma comes across your desk, you should be able to develop a more ethical approach, which better balances the needs and interests of different stakeholders and makes informed compromises.

Alasdair and Carys have delivered CPD sessions to 2500-3000 architects and students globally. The guide has been reviewed in Building Design, and Alasdair has also written for RIBA Journal, AT, RIBA and dezeen concerning the ethics of architecture.

The full shortlist of the awards is available to view here, and the winners will be announced on 12 November.