Net positive by design
Diadem’s Net Positive mission is our commitment to leave every project, workplace decision, and partnership better than we found it, environmentally, socially, and commercially.
It is the standard that guides how we design, how we work with clients and communities, how we support our people, and how we govern the business; backed by practical actions, partnerships, policies, and reporting disciplines.
Environmental. Designing for less impact and greater value
Our standard: We commit to carbon neutrality by 2030, using project-level tools, external partnerships, and circular design principles to reduce both our operational footprint and the environmental impact of the work we deliver.
How we act on it
- We built our own carbon calculator, developed in partnership with Federation University and CSIRO, and apply it to measure and reduce embodied carbon in the work we deliver for clients, not just our own operations.
- We recognise that most environmental impact is determined at the design stage, so we apply sustainable design principles early, across material selection, design longevity, product serviceability for maintenance and end-of-life planning.
- Our circular asset management approach is built to maximise material reuse and minimise waste across every project we deliver.
- We are building carbon literacy across the business, so sustainable, circular thinking becomes a shared operating discipline, not a specialist function.
Social. People, equity and community
Our standard: We invest in the people who shape our work and contribute meaningfully to the communities we operate within.
How we act on it:
- People and culture. We create the conditions for team members to do their career-best work, supported by development planning, flexible work, wellbeing initiatives, and additional support for staff experiencing personal hardship.
- Equity. We use employee insight across offices, ages, tenures, and geographies to identify practical ways Diadem can better support women and strengthen equity across the business.
- Community. Our primary charity partnership with the Property Industry Foundation is supported by staff skills, pro-bono contribution, and paid volunteer leave, so our impact extends beyond financial support.
- First Nations engagement. We are building cultural awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as custodians of Country, guided by First Nations consultants, and in Aotearoa New Zealand we collaborate with Tangata whenua and hapū to integrate te ao Māori perspectives into project work.
Governance. Clear standards, consistent oversight
Our standard: Ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability underpin how we make decisions, manage risk, protect information, procure responsibly, and respond to concerns.
How we act on it:
- We apply a clear code of ethical conduct, with zero tolerance for bribery or corruption across every market in which we operate.
- We maintain a whistleblower framework that protects anyone who raises a concern in good faith.
- We take modern slavery and ethical sourcing seriously, applying due diligence to how and from whom we procure.
- We protect the data entrusted to us, clients, staff, and partners alike, through clear information security and privacy standards.
- Financial and project authority is formally delegated and governed, ensuring decisions of consequence are made with appropriate oversight.
- We are aligning our sustainability reporting practices with international standards, including AASB S2 and ISSB, so our disclosures meet the expectations placed on credible, accountable businesses.
- Our founders and leadership remain directly accountable to our people, with open channels for feedback built into how the business is run.
Net positive is the work
Net Positive is not a slogan or a carbon-only commitment. It is the standard we hold ourselves to across environmental, social, and governance performance. We do not claim this work is complete; we commit to continuing it transparently and to being judged by what we do, not just what we say.
