Blog | JPA Workspaces | Richard Cooksey

Richard Cooksey is CEO of JPA Workspaces, the St Albans-based workplace furniture, design and fit-out company founded in 1974. He leads a business independently rated EcoVadis Platinum — the top 1% of companies assessed worldwide — and recognised with the King's Award for Enterprise, delivering sustainable workspaces for clients including UCL, Sky Studios, the BBC and the NHS. Richard writes about workplace strategy, furniture reuse and the evidence behind sustainable procurement: how organisations match their buildings to how people actually work, and prove the carbon and cost savings when they do.

Blog Post by Richard Cooksey

Richard Cooksey29 September 20265 min read

Sustainable task chairs: what to check before you buy

A task chair is bought once and used for years. The longer it stays in use, the better it ...

Richard Cooksey24 September 20263 min read

FF&E procurement for a UK office fit-out: what the process should include

On most office fit-outs, the furniture is the last thing to arrive and the first thing ...

Richard Cooksey27 August 20264 min read

EcoVadis Platinum, two years running: what it means for clients

We have been awarded EcoVadis Platinum for the second year running. Our overall score has ...

Richard Cooksey11 August 20262 min read

Biophilic office design in practice: what works beyond the plant wall

Biophilic design has a reputation problem of its own making. Too many projects reduce it ...

Richard Cooksey11 August 20262 min read

What an office space utilisation study actually tells you

Most organisations trying to make a hybrid office work are arguing from the wrong ...

Richard Cooksey11 August 20262 min read

Office refurbishment, reuse first: the numbers behind the approach

Most office refurbishments begin with a clearance contractor and a skip. The furniture ...

Richard Cooksey11 August 20262 min read

Workplace strategy: matching your building to hybrid working

Most organisations changed their working policy years ago. Far fewer changed the ...

Richard Cooksey29 July 20243 min read

JPA's EcoVadis Gold Rating (2024)

Update, August 2026: since this article was published we have been awarded EcoVadis ...