Network Insights: Ruth Rózpide on Driving Transformation through Empowerment
GNFZ’s partners play a crucial role in empowering people and organizations to accelerate the realization of a zero emissions world, and in achieving our vision of lasting equitable and global living standards serving people and the planet. By engaging with the GNFZ network, our partners steward clients through the process of achieving and maintaining net zero certification.
Which is why we’re excited to share insights from an interview with Ruth Rózpide, Operations Director — Sustainability at Mace Group, Spain. Mace is one of GNFZ’s partners, delivering best-in-class decarbonization solutions to their clients. Ruth and her team are dedicated to revolutionizing the real estate sector in their region by helping clients implement cutting-edge sustainability strategies that enhance operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
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Ruth Rózpide, Operations Director – Sustainability at Mace, Spain
GNFZ: Tell us about Mace and your role in the company.
Ruth: Mace Group is a leading international company focused on the built environment, with a clear commitment to a more connected, resilient, and sustainable world. In Spain, we have been working since 1999 with a wide range of project management and responsible business consulting services in all areas of the real estate sector. For more than ten years, I’ve been the operations director overseeing our team of 55 sustainability specialists and ESG experts. Our differential value as consultants is that we closely accompany and advise the client throughout the process. We approach sustainability from a holistic point of view based on our clients’ needs, which allows us to optimize results, efforts, and investments. And, guided by Sergio Quintero's leadership, a highly dynamic division in our department is dedicated to assisting real estate companies in attaining net zero goals.
From your unique perspective, why is achieving net zero in the building sector important?
The urgency to reduce our carbon footprint has never been greater. The construction industry plays a significant role in global emissions contributions, so achieving net zero is essential. At Mace, we are strongly committed to accelerating the response of the built environment to the climate emergency, so we have set a 2026 strategy with three main targets: reduction of 10% year over year of corporate carbon, reduction of 10m Tn of client carbon and increase of 500ha of biodiversity net gain.
Our carbon handprint can be much more impactful than our carbon footprint: That's why we focus on driving transformation and empowering our people to deliver results that create positive change.
What is your definition of leadership in the sector(s) that your organization operates?
Mace has been driving sustainability efforts in the industry since 2012 by working with companies of all scales, across all sectors and in hundreds of locations to adopt best practices and make change happen. We are also on our journey of investing in new technologies, innovating solutions to get to net zero, sourcing ever more sustainable materials and collaborating with others in our industry to keep moving at the same pace. Our carbon handprint can be much more impactful than our carbon footprint: That's why we focus on driving transformation and empowering our people to deliver results that create positive change.
What advice do you have for organizations with an existing building portfolio that may be intimidated by the cost of sustainability or by all the options that are out there?
While making an investment in sustainable strategies requires an up-front cost, using an incremental approach, like the certification offered by GNFZ, greatly reduces this expense. Investing in an existing building portfolio will continuously increase the portfolio’s value and prevent future risk scenarios. It will also satisfy occupant demand for high environmental performance as well as investors who are looking for long-term financial performance and properties that are prepared for climate risk. The cost of delaying action on reducing and eliminating emissions is far greater than taking an immediate incremental approach to action.
What advice do you have for women who are who are looking to begin their journey in the field of sustainability?
Great question! There are so many incredible women in sustainability right now who are paving the way and opening doors for new generations of women leaders to follow. Sustainability is a rapidly growing sector where there are many opportunities to make a real and lasting impact. To be successful in the field, it is important to stay aware of new trends, technologies and regulations. My personal experience, as a sustainability enthusiast, is that it is worth all the effort when you get others to change their view of the world to a more sustainable one. Our movement needs conscious and motivated workers to achieve a more sustainable world, and of course, I am convinced that women can lead this change.