welcome
KeITH ClArKe
CHIeF exeCUTIve
ATKInS
The world turns
As the third edition of Angles comes off the press we’re The recession of the markets is firmly at odds with
all seeing a world of extraordinary uncertainty. It’s hard the carbon challenge set by the UK government,
to describe it on any one day – because the next day it which now wants to see reductions increased
changes. We’re seeing historic failures in the financial from 60 to 80 per cent by 2050. It’s a reflection
markets and great fluctuations in the world economy. of how serious the issue is that this change should
The focus for us though must be long term and occur in the midst of a financial market failure, the
we’re seeing that reflected in what the world’s likes of which most of us have never seen.
leading politicians are saying. The UK’s Prime Minister, But wherever there is a challenge there is an
Gordon Brown, has made direct comparisons with the opportunity, and now is the time to embrace the
kind of change heralded by the end of WWII. Then, idea of a low-carbon economy even more keenly.
the International Monetary Fund was established to We should be leaning into the issues and not
provide stability. Today, he says it must be modernised letting the market turmoil distract us.
to deal with a truly global economy. Most agree. Understandably, clients are reshuffling their
For Atkins, the short-term failure of the financial priorities. People generally may be worried about job
markets must not distract us from the continual security, housing affordability, material inflation (or
challenge of delivering excellence in all our work. possibly deflation). These are all now major worries.
Markets will always fluctuate and good companies How easy it would be to forget the deeper issues.
will always respond. The real trick though is reacting Balance is an art. Should you respond? How far
in a way that doesn’t sacrifice quality and doesn’t do you go? What extra opportunities can you find?
distract you from your long-term goals. These are difficult times, but when has that really
The economic challenge is hardest when we look been much different? We shouldn’t be frozen by
at the need to deliver a material reduction in carbon. fear, but liberated by the challenge.
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