OUR APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY
MAKING SHOPPING FIT FOR THE FUTURE
Our “Beyond Sustainable” strategy is based on a 4-pillar approach, which encompasses the material issues that are identified as relevant for our company and our industry: Sustainable Buildings, Responsible Consumption, Resilient Communities, and Stakeholder Engagement.
1. SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
We aim to minimize the environmental impact of our buildings and contribute to limiting the global temperature increase to 1,5ºC and have set emission reduction targets and energy intensity targets aligned with the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) tool. In doing so we work with all aspects of our value chain (development, operations and tenants), to become more efficient, reduce our carbon emissions and implement innovative solutions, so as to generate synergies and work with our partners towards a common goal.
2. Responsible Consumption
Our strategy is to provide our guests with a sustainable and unique premium shopping experience. This means we enhance the social and environmental impacts of the experience, at different levels: transport to the centre, food & beverage options, recycling and reduction and phasing out of single use plastics, and sustainability of the products sold. We also support and encourage our brand partners in their sustainability initiatives to ensure sustainability of the products sold, and we work with them and our communities to promote responsible consumption, reuse and recycling.
MAKING SHOPPING FIT FOR THE FUTURE
3. RESILIENT COMMUNITIES
We take our responsibility towards our community – our employees, our suppliers, our tenants, our guests, and our local communities – very seriously, which is why we set ourselves ambitious standards in safeguarding their health, safety and wellbeing, and promoting accessibility in all our Centres. We also strive to create a working and shopping environment that is inclusive and embraces diversity.
4. Stakeholder Engagement
Our stakeholders take an active part in defining our sustainability strategy, which is why we continuously improve our reporting, engage with them on our targets and activities, provide training and generate awareness around sustainability issues. We also work with partners and experts on our material sustainability issues to improve our understanding of our impacts and increase our efforts to create social value. Due to its all-encompassing nature, this pillar therefore crosses the boundaries of the other three pillars and acts as the foundation for our strategy.
We ensure a short, medium and long-term approach, by setting both long-term and medium-term targets (energy & emissions, environmental impacts related to design & construction, waste, water, health & safety, responsible consumption), with annual sustainable action plans.