KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 15): British American Tobacco (M) Bhd's (BAT Malaysia) head office in Guoco Tower, Damansara, has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

In a statement today, BAT Malaysia said what stands out is the firm’s commitment to create an office environment that is not only environmentally friendly but also optimised for the welfare and well-being of its employees.

BAT Malaysia said as a benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings, LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.

It said as part of the review process, companies must not only commit working collaboratively with LEED consultants in all stages of the design, construction, operations and maintenance of the office but also maintain and upkeep these standards in order to maintain this certification.

Key features built into the BAT Malaysia office that earned the LEED certification includes:

BAT Malaysia managing director Jonathan Reed said receiving the LEED certification reflects the firm’s efforts to pursue sustainable practices across the business to deliver "A Better Tomorrow" for all stakeholders.

“This LEED certification is just the start of our journey in embedding a culture of sustainability amongst our people and across all areas of our business.

“Moving forward, we are committed towards driving a positive change across four key areas of focus comprising harm reduction, environment, social impact and governance and look forward to continuing in delivering a positive impact in these spaces,” he said.

Meanwhile, US Green Building Council president and CEO Mahesh Ramanujam said transforming buildings and spaces happens one project at a time.

“BAT Malaysia understands the value of LEED and has shown extraordinary leadership in reshaping the market.

“The success of LEED is due to the partnership and support of those committed to advancing green building and sustainability. Each new LEED certification brings us one step closer to revolutionising the spaces where we live, learn, work and play,” he said.