A Year of Sustainability Successes
5 June 2024 - At VIA Outlets, we are committed to responsible business practices and finding diverse ways to minimise our environmental impact. Every year, we publish our comprehensive Sustainability Report, which outlines our short- and long-term ESG goals, strategies, progress and results. We report our progress to keep our green bond investors informed on our investments, but the report is open for anyone to read. It’s a document we use to have honest conversations with brand partners, suppliers, guests and colleagues about where we are today and where we are heading. Every year we advance closer towards our 2050 Net Zero Emissions Target and are taking the right steps to achieve our goal of becoming the market leader in sustainable outlet shopping.
Last month, we published our 2023 Sustainability Report. At the heart of this report is our Beyond Sustainable Strategy, comprised of four pillars: Sustainable Buildings, Responsible Consumption, Resilient Communities and Engaged Stakeholders. Across all four pillars there is plenty to celebrate as we continue making outlet shopping fit for the future, including achieving a 5-star GRESB score rating for the fourth consecutive year. Read on to discover some of our biggest highlights, or click here to download our infographic on the top 10 takeaways from 2023.
Reduced Energy Intensity
Last year we reduced our energy intensity across our portfolio by 6% vs. 2022. Each of our outlet centres has energy intensity and emission reduction targets aligned with the science-based Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) tool. Like many other businesses, we address and measure all categories of carbon emissions – known as Scope 1, 2 and 3 – produced directly or indirectly by our business. In 2023, Fashion Arena Prague Outlet and Wrocław Fashion Outlet achieved particularly strong results in this area, with both centres reducing whole building energy intensity by 13% compared to 2022.
Employee Engagement Score
We take our responsibility towards our community seriously and set ourselves ambitious standards for safeguarding individuals’ health, safety and wellbeing. Our annual Employee Engagement survey provides us with vital information shared directly by centre and group colleagues across Europe. Last year, we reached 75% in our Employee Engagement Score, which is above the real estate industry average according to insights from Culture Amp. Statements such as “I have a good working relationship with people on my team” and “I receive support from people around me in my work when I need it” were among the highest scorers.
Increased Recycling Rate
We are always open to finding new ways to reduce our waste footprint and increase our rates of recycling. By collecting and recycling plastic, paper, glass, electronic materials and wood in all our centres, we can help conserve these material resources. In 2023, we increased our recycling rate by +32% vs. our 2019 baseline. We will continue to upgrade on-site recycling infrastructure, track and monitor our waste, train employees on our waste management strategies and more to continue our successful path forward.
Reduced Water Consumption
Across our portfolio, we commit to operating in ways that respect the local water resources and minimise our contribution to water risks. We have a strong water management approach and employ diverse strategies to reduce water consumption. This includes installing rainwater harvesting tanks, upgrading infrastructure to facilitate greywater use, improving water metering and leak detection, landscaping based on local flora and smarter irrigation techniques. We also engage with tenants to reduce their water consumption. In 2023, we reduced portfolio water consumption by 15% from a 2019 baseline.