We have an empowering culture and hold ourselves accountable

Transcription

1 46 OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES We have an empowering culture and hold ourselves accountable Guy Templeton PRESIDENT AND CEO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND We are a people business. We empower our people to deliver the very best service they can for clients and we encourage them to hold themselves accountable. Driven by the betterment of society, Guy Templeton believes that empowerment and accountability go hand in hand. This Guiding Principle is the cornerstone of his approach to shaping a high-performing workforce. He says, One of the reasons I love working at WSP is that I am empowered to run the Australian and New Zealand businesses in a way that makes sense locally, while leveraging the depth and reach of our global firm. This autonomy enables us to have an agile business and it makes us easy to work with. For example, decisions on large bids, joint ventures and alliances are made locally, which keeps us highly responsive to our clients and partners. In terms of what accountability looks like in real life, Guy cites the Sydney Metro as a great example. He says, As Australia s biggest public transport project, the Sydney Metro will increase the capacity of the city s rail network by 60%. We re helping to revolutionize the way people travel and at the same time respond to population growth and drive economic prosperity. As community-minded people who work, live and play in Sydney, we have a duty to ourselves to ensure that we deliver on this project. Looking at the big picture, we are ultimately accountable to the societies we support. We are responsible for providing solutions to our clients that perform as intended, are sustainable and make our cities more liveable. That s part of the accountability we have as a firm and as professionals. We are answerable to ourselves, our clients and our shareholders. People Power If in doubt, make a decision, is one of the adages Guy lives by. He says, We empower our talented people to make the best decisions for our clients. We respect their professionalism and trust them to do the right thing. That s the essence of accountability it s an unbroken chain of trust, transparency and honesty that runs through the fabric of the firm. Empowering the next generation of leaders is also a priority. Guy adds, This is something we work hard at. It comes down to giving our young professionals the flexibility and opportunities they need to shine. We re humble enough to realize that some of the best ideas come from the youngest minds in our business. We empower them to speak up and challenge the status quo.

2 2017 ANNUAL REPORT 47 Kaikōura Earthquake Emergency Response and Recovery KAIKŌURA, NEW ZEALAND Kaikōura is a town situated on the eastern coast of the South Island in New Zealand. In November 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Kaikōura, resulting in road and rail links being destroyed and emergency services and communities being cut off. In an urgent, highly pressurized situation, our Highway Network, Geotechnical and Bridge Teams were deployed within hours - undertaking reconnaissance from land and air to assist in the extensive emergency coordination works to provide access to isolated communities. Our Structural Engineers also began to carry out building triage assessments. We coordinated closely with agencies including our clients NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail; Civil Defence; affected councils; the NZ army and multiple contractors. In the weeks that followed, our role shifted from an emergency response to a recovery phase including route management, prioritizing resources and providing the Transport Agency and others with professional and timely advice. It was fantastic to see the people of Kaikōura responding to having the road open and being reconnected to the rest of New Zealand, seeing tourists again and just lifting the spirit of the community. FRANCES NEESON ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST Image courtesy of The NCTIR Alliance

3 48 OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES UK-Norway Subsea Interconnector National Grid North Sea Link Limited and Statnett are working together to construct the world s longest Subsea Interconnector. WSP has been appointed by National Grid North Sea Link Limited to provide cable manufacturing quality and inspection services. When constructed, the subsea interconnector will consist of approximately 720 kilometres of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable. With a planned capacity of 1,400 MW, the interconnector will generate enough electricity to power nearly three quarters of a million homes - helping both countries meet their domestic energy demand. The interconnector, scheduled to begin operating in 2021, will link Kvilldal in Norway and Blyth in the UK. This is a crucial renewable project for the whole of the UK, and we look forward to showing the value we can bring for our client. MICHAEL CARR QUALITY SERVICES ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER Manacar Tower MEXICO CITY, MEXICO Manacar Tower, an eye-catching and symbolic landmark in the Mexican horizon is a mixed-use 32-storey skyscraper including offices and a mall located at the crossing between the Río Churubusco and Insurgentes Avenues in Mexico City, Mexico. WSP provided engineering, monitoring and structural drawing services for the construction document phase. We have an excellent relationship with our client, Pulso Inmobiliario, and have worked on previous projects together. The building was constructed following the most stringent seismic regulations and was delivered in April 2017.

4 2017 ANNUAL REPORT 49 OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES Margaret-Avis Akofio-Sowah (left) and Neela Babu (right) Neela Babu and Margaret-Avis Akofio-Sowah CONSULTANTS, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS ADVISORY WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES Neela and Margaret, consultants in WSP s US Advisory Services practice, help transportation clients develop asset management strategies to ensure that critical infrastructure assets are maintained in good condition over their life cycle. Neela and Margaret, who have doctorates in engineering disciplines, help clients understand their current approach to asset management, develop business process maps and conduct condition assessments. They write asset management policies and plans, train client staff, coordinate inventories and advise clients on investment prioritization and strategic management of physical assets. I love that I work for a firm that values questioning the status quo and generating daring, groundbreaking solutions for the future. MARGARET-AVIS AKOFIO-SOWAH We understand the hurdles and pressure points our clients face in implementing improved asset management practices, and we draw on the expertise of subject matter experts all over the world. NEELA BABU WSP s distinctive approach to asset management combines management consulting capabilities with engineering expertise and a specific focus on the transportation industry.

5 50 OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES Paint Hangar for Wide-Body Aircraft BLAGNAC, FRANCE 10 YEARS WORKING WITH THE CLIENT 13,200 SQUARE METRES OF TOTAL FLOOR AREA We value our relationship with clients and partners, and believe that innovation is key to the success of any project. Our work with STTS (Société Toulousaine de Traitement de Surface) in the design of paint hangars for wide-body aircraft is a prime example. STTS first hired WSP 10 years ago to create a design that optimized paint hangar operating costs. We ran multiple airflow models to determine the best design, taking into consideration technical challenges. For example, the velocity in the painting areas must be less than 0.8 m/s to avoid clouds of paint between the gun and the surface to be painted, and more than 0.3 m/s to comply with the requirements of the French health authorities. Over the years, WSP and STTS improved induction air diffusion systems to further reduce the treated airflow rates. The work of our employees has become a reference in paint hangars, thus increasing WSP s global activities in this field.

6 2017 ANNUAL REPORT 51 Martin County Everglades Restoration Project FLORIDA, UNITED STATES The largest environmental construction project in Florida s history will make a major impact on restoring the natural habitats of the Everglades while improving the quality of water in the region. The C-44 Reservoir/Stormwater Treatment Area, set for completion in the summer of 2018, is a project covering nearly 4,000 hectares in South Florida. For the current phase, Being part of a project of this scale means being empowered to think outof-the-box to make a profound positive impact on the environment. CAMILLE DOMINGUEZ PROJECT MANAGER WSP is serving as construction manager on behalf of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). WSP supports the SFWMD by ensuring the stormwater treatment area is constructed according to the design documents so that it meets established water quality goals.