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In fitting out its new U.S. headquarters in midtown Manhattan, Avon Products Inc. required that contractors -- from electricians to wall board hangers -- hire as many women workers as possible.
In the process, the 125-year old cosmetics company set a record for New York City, with a 17 percent female-crew ratio for the duration of the project. "We were proud this project was built by so many women, from the cabinet makers to the electricians," said Louise Matthews, Avon's Vice President, Global Real Estate at a press introduction to the building.
On site, women's construction hats were pink, the color Avon has transformed into a global symbol of its long-running effort to boost awareness of and research funding to beat breast cancer.
The results of those pink-hatted laborers were unveiled today at 777 3rd Avenue, Avon's new US headquarters.
At its 275,000 square-foot quarters, occupying the bulk of a 38-story, early '60s modernist tower, Avon retrofitted its new home to hit the Gold standard for commercial interiors under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The designation will be granted once LEED has reviewed the project's scorecard.
Eighteen months in the making, the project's design and construction was led by HOK, a St. Louis-based architecture firm that specializes in sustainable design. HOK collaborated with Avon's internal design committee to help select a light color palate for a somewhat feminine, timeless feel to the interior, said Doug West, an HOK architect. The firm worked to keep the green features and technology systems behind the scenes, he added.
In making a move from its recently vacated former headquarters, just a few blocks to the west, Avon focused on saving energy and water, while improving the work environment for its staff:
Lighting. To save power, the headquarters turned to high efficiency lighting, which cut energy use by 22 percent compared with a conventional system. Motion sensors in private offices and meeting rooms shut off lights. To maximize the use of natural daylight, work-station dividers are low, permitting light to penetrate deep into the floor plate. Some 96 percent of working positions have views to the outside.
Next page: Avon's global green building commitment
In response to "I applaud
In response to "I applaud Avon's efforts...": the cost upcharge was minimal if any to have 17% women on the workforce.
I applaud Avon’s efforts at
I applaud Avon’s efforts at working toward building green space, and incorporating women into a heavily male-dominated industry. Efforts such as Avon’s corporate-wide initiative to build green space across their worldwide locations will inevitably have the largest impact in spreading awareness of the benefits of green building. Furthermore, as a woman in real estate who regularly encounters situations where I am the only female in the room, I appreciate the efforts that Avon took to incorporate women into the construction of their space. I would be interested to hear what the reaction from the general contractors was when they heard of Avon’s initiative, and if there was any cost premium paid as a result of modifying the demographics of the labor force. Regardless, I think the initiative was very commendable and I hope that Avon continues to make green building and putting women to work in unconventional roles a priority!