OUR SECTORS
Sustainability, built without gaps around the sector you work in.
SKArating isn’t one-size-fits-all. We develop our schemes sector by sector, so each one applies good practice measures that reflect how a space will be fitted out, occupied and operated, rather than putting every project through the same generic checklist.
Sectors covered today
- Offices Office Environmental v2.0
- Retail and restaurants Retail v1.0
- Higher Education and laboratories Higher Education v1.0
- Pilots For sectors without a live scheme yet, such as schools, healthcare and student accommodation, and for international markets. Pilot projects are assessed on a pass/fail basis by experienced SKArating Assessors.
Our vision is to offer a full sustainability impact assessment for every interior fit-out and refurbishment project. This will make SKArating the first assessment scheme to offer triple bottom line reporting to clients. We’re updating our legacy schemes and developing new ones so that, by 2030, every sector scheme assesses across all three pillars: Environmental, Social & Wellbeing, and Economics & Value.
Explore our schemes by sustainability pillar, or explore each sector below.
For office interior fit-out and refurbishment projects of every size.
- EnvironmentalLive
- Social & WellbeingUnder development
- Economics & ValueComing soon
For university, college and further education projects on or off campus, and for laboratory projects, including fit-outs, in life sciences organisations.
- EnvironmentalLive
- Social & WellbeingUnder development
- Economics & ValuePending sector feedback
For retail shop and restaurant interior fit-out and refurbishment projects, from single units to national roll-outs.
- EnvironmentalLive
- Social & WellbeingPending sector feedback
- Economics & ValuePending sector feedback
How SKArating is governed
SKArating is developed by the industry, for the industry. Two sets of committees work under the SKArating Board: Technical Committees for each sustainability pillar, and Sector Steering Committees for each sector. Together they make sure every scheme is both technically robust and workable for the sector and its clients.
SKArating Board: Governance
Holds final decision-making authority and accountability for all scheme content, keeping decisions true to SKArating’s principles, scheme parameters and available resources.
Technical Committees
One for each pillar
Develop the technical content and make sure it is evidence-based and robust.
Environmental
Social & Wellbeing
Economics & Value
Sector Steering Committees
One for each sector
Advisory. Provide sector and market insight, review proposed technical material for practicality and likely adoption, and recommend development priorities.
Offices
Higher Education & Life Sciences
Retail & Restaurants
Working together: the Technical Committees give due weight to each Steering Committee’s sector insight, and the Steering Committees respect benchmarks supported by research evidence.
Inside a Sector Steering Committee
Each sector is steered from within by people who work in it. The committee advises and reviews rather than drafting the scheme itself.
What it does
Sets current and future direction on sector needs across all three pillars: Environmental, Social & Wellbeing, and Economics & Value.
Reviews proposed impact categories and Good Practice Measures, identifies gaps against current sector good practice, and helps the schemes reach the wider sector.
Who sits on it
Up to 12 professionals with experience in real estate, fit-out and refurbishment, operations and procurement, stakeholder engagement and sustainability across the three pillars.
A Chair is appointed by the Board, and diversity of representation is actively encouraged.
How membership works
Membership is voluntary and held by the individual, not their organisation. Terms last three years, with a maximum of two in a row, staggered so experienced members hand over to new ones.
Time commitment
Quarterly meetings online or in person, and a minimum of four days a year including preparation and actions. In scheme update years members review an impact category; in other years the focus is on sharing the schemes, for example through presentations.
How members work
In line with SKArating’s values of integrity, robustness, transparency and shared benefit. Members declare any conflicts of interest and keep draft and unpublished material confidential.
Recognition
Members’ names and organisations are published by SKArating unless a member asks not to be named. Taking part doesn’t mean a member or their organisation endorses the final published scheme.
A scheme is only sustainable if it is both technically robust and workable for the sector and its clients.
CONTACT US
DON'T SEE A SECTOR YOU BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE SERVING?
If you believe we should be serving additional sectors or countries and you would like to explore this with our technical team, please email us your thoughts at [email protected].
Beyond the live schemes: Pilots
Interior fit-out happens everywhere, not just in offices, retail and higher education spaces. Where a sector doesn't yet have a live scheme - schools, healthcare and student accommodation among them - SKArating's Pilot route lets experienced Assessors formally assess projects using the existing Good Practice Measures framework and online tool, and work with the respective Technical Committee to achieve needed insights and robustness.
Whilst SKArating has initially been developed for the UK market, the Pilot process provides a mechanism to support the system of SKArating to be adapted for more sectors and international markets.
Pilots don't receive a Bronze, Silver or Gold rating; they're assessed on a pass/fail basis while the evidence base is building toward a full live scheme.
As new sectors develop, they will appear here - check back or subscribe to updates.
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