A Day With – Dr. Mansi Desai, Head of Sustainability
Mansi is a seasoned chartered sustainability and environmental professional, bringing in two decades of expertise from both consultancy and academia. She excels in supporting clients by creating low-carbon solutions, climate-resilient strategies, and sustainable practices, delivering forward-thinking and practical approaches at local, regional, and international levels.
7:30 a.m.
My day begins with a perfectly brewed coffee under the early morning light, with the silhouette of the Grade II-listed—a structure of architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection—Battersea Power Station in view. It’s a moment of calmness before the pace picks up. From here, it’s a short walk to my nearest underground station, as my mind races through the priorities ahead.
Catching the morning light dancing across Battersea Power Station, a daily reminder of the beauty in London’s ever-evolving landscape.
No two days are alike in my role. Still, today’s schedule serves as a reminder of the diverse tasks I undertake, each focused on embedding environmental and sustainability values across our company’s activities. My work centres on collaboration: working closely with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders to champion sustainable thinking into the DNA of our projects.
9:00 a.m.
The morning began with a series of meetings focused on strategy. These sessions are designed not only to help our clients reach sustainability targets but to inspire them to exceed expectations. Each project brings fresh opportunities to steer design choices towards resilient community benefits and reduced environmental footprints.
1:30 p.m
Later in the day, I met with our dedicated Sustainability Champions, a team of colleagues from various departments and offices who actively promote positive change within the organisation. Under our Sustainability Strategy, we focus on three core priorities: Our People, Places, and Projects. And establishing a robust network of champions supports capacity building across the business.
Here with our fantastic Sustainability Champions.
As part of a training exercise, we explored ideas and planned an upcoming workshop for an exciting project my team is delivering in Liverpool.
gfThis innovative project is part of ADEPT LiveLabs, a three-year, £30m DfT funded scheme. We are playing a pivotal role in this partnership, spearheading the development of the Carbon Hierarchy Lens approach and a bespoke Carbon Configurator Tool, a core element of the Liverpool Live Lab ecosystem. Our methodology is designed to assist Liverpool City Council reduce its carbon emissions from highway maintenance and operational activities whilst simultaneously enhancing efficiency, quality, cost-effectiveness, and transparency. The central objective remains clear: prioritising sustainability and low-carbon solutions that will shape the future of Liverpool and other partner councils including Aberdeen and Newcastle.
The resulting discussions are productive, and the ideas generated are both inventive and impactful, demonstrating the immense value of collaborative work in this domain.
Brainstorming sustainability actions for the project with the project champions.
3:00 p.m.
Between meetings, I try to carve out time to tackle a flurry of emails, addressing queries from project partners, reviewing progress updates, and coordinating with teams across various disciplines. The afternoon involved collaborating with colleagues from the Environmental Management and Transport team on an exciting new tender opportunity, strategising our approach and weaving sustainability into every aspect of the proposal.
6:00 p.m.
Tonight, however, was extra special. I had the honour of attending the International Women in Construction and Engineering (WICE) Awards, a highlight in my calendar, after serving as a judge in the Environment and Sustainability category at the WICE judging day a couple of months ago. It’s a privilege to celebrate an inspiring group of women whose leadership continues to redefine our industry.
Here with Sally Jane Grewcock, Supply chain sustainability leader at Laing O’Rourke. Winner of the Environment and Sustainability Category.
Here with my lovely co-judges, Joaquin Flores, Regional Client Director, AtkinsRealis and Gaby Code, Director, AtkinsRealis.
Reflecting on these experiences, I’m reminded time and again that sustainability requires more than technical expertise; it is a people-driven pursuit. Progress occurs through visionary leadership, innovative thinking, and consistent collaboration. As I navigate through each day with my team, we remain committed to guiding our sector and society towards a brighter, sustainable future for everyone.