Reading: Ceridian chooses GreenPark for HQ

Ceridian, one of the largest providers of human resources in the world, has moved its UK headquarters from Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire to state-of-the-art environmental offices at GreenPark, Reading.

Doug Sawers, managing director of Ceridian in the UK, said: "GreenPark ticked all the right boxes for our new headquarters location. It provides an ideal working environment for our headquarters staff and projects the right image to our blue-chip clients. Importantly, it meets our corporate social responsibility criteria on the environment. In terms of ease of access, it is

centrally located in the south of England next to the M4 and is close to the main line rail station in Reading with its regular connections to London. With a local hub rail station due for completion in 2008 and an improved motorway junction due a year later, we are delighted with our choice."

The new headquarters houses the Ceridian UK board of directors, most of the HR function plus some marketing and other employees. In addition to office space, there is a board/customer demonstration room plus four other meeting rooms and a 'soft' meeting area.

Ceridian's flagship offices, designed by Foster & Partners, overlook a lakeside setting at 100 Longwater Avenue. As a keen promoter of health in the workplace through its LifeWorks division, Ceridian's employees can take full advantage of a Cannon's Health & Fitness Club, cycle routes and beautiful nature trails around the 11-acre lake. Other facilities on the business park include cafés, a

brasserie, children's play zone and nursery plus, in the future, a shopping complex.

A major landmark on the 180-acre GreenPark business park is a Sir Norman Foster designed wind turbine. It is one the largest land-based wind turbines and the first major installation on a business park. Generating 4.5 million units (kWh) of green electricity, the wind turbine can deliver clean electricity to 1,500 local businesses and homes in the area.

On 1 February, BSI is assessing the building for ISO 14001:2004 accreditation. This will put the environmental management process at 100 Longwater Avenue into a formal framework, with clearly defined environmental policies, procedures and training. An active recycling policy is already in place with the bulk of waste removed from site and subject to off-site segregation and recycling.

Accompanying policies and procedures to minimise waste generation and environmental contamination, combined with an energy reduction target for the building itself within the ISO 14001:2004 plan, will help Ceridian establish 'greener' credentials as part of its own corporate social responsibilities.