Last week, Thrivall was proud to partner with fellow B Corps Millwood and Oru Sutton to host an event for leaders from the construction and built environment sectors: Building Resilience in the Built Environment: Exploring Purpose, People & Places.

Our goal was to shift thinking beyond basic compliance and typical ways of thinking about sustainable business, and instead explore how organisations can build resilience to create more success for the long-term.

Three Perspectives on Resilience

We kicked off with short presentations to bring different views to the topic:

1. Matthew Wood from Millwood talked about equal opportunities & resilient workforces in the trades
2. Our Mission Director Anwen spoke about supporting leaders in a sector under pressure
3. Catherine Draper from Oru Sutton shared insights into regenerating places through human-centred design

Thrivall in Action

We also led a brief interactive session applying the Thrivall Pillars of Mental Fitness & Resilience, grounded in the 5 Ways to Wellbeing framework.

We then moved into smaller groups for roundtable discussions. In the Thrivall group we explored how to strengthen resilience:

💡 For leaders personally – prioritising wellbeing, setting a role model example, and creating positive ripple effects.

💡 Within teams – fostering psychological safety, delegating and empowering, building autonomy and engagement.

💡 Across workplaces – adopting a whole-person approach to wellbeing, recognising life inside and outside of work are interconnected.

💡 Through culture – encouraging kindness, courage, and self-compassion, especially when stepping into new challenges.

Why it Matters

The conversations were rich, practical, and energising. Attendees shared openly about the pressures they face – and also their commitment to doing business differently. New connections were forged, and ideas sparked that will ripple through people, projects, and places.

As B Corps, we also highlighted how certification can provide a powerful framework to align values, strategy, and impact.

Looking Ahead

The built environment shapes how we live, work, and connect. If we want resilient businesses and communities, we must start with resilient leaders and teams.

We are grateful to Earl Kendrick for sponsoring the delicious Oru pastries and coffee (the cardamom buns were unforgettable!) and to everyone who joined us.

✨ This is only the beginning of the conversation – and we look forward to continuing to explore how purpose, people, and places can come together to create thriving, resilient futures.