Sponda Plc Press Release 20 February 2015, 10:15
Sponda had a successful year of responsibility in 2014
Property investment company Sponda took significant steps in the field of environmental and corporate responsibility in 2014. Sponda received international recognition for responsibility reporting and was the first Finnish listed property investment company to sign the prestigious UN Global Compact initiative.
Sponda’s effective measures to take environmental responsibility in property operations in Finland included reducing overall property energy consumption by 8 per cent, electricity consumption by 13 per cent and heat consumption by 4 per cent between 2010 and 2014. The company also made significant progress in the field of waste management: the waste recovery rate of Sponda’s properties rose from 87 per cent in 2013 to 96 per cent by the end of 2014.
- The property sector plays an important role in mitigating climate change and improving energy efficiency. We wish to be pioneers in our industry in this respect, says Hannamari Koivula, Sustainability Manager at Sponda.
The Energy efficiency programme yields results
The Sponda Energy efficiency programme was implemented in order to save energy in properties together with property users and saved 121 MWh of energy in 2014. This corresponds approximately to the annual energy consumption of 830 Finnish detached houses. The target of Sponda’s Energy efficiency programme is achieving energy savings of 20 per cent by 2020, using the average consumption in 2001–2005 as the baseline. Sponda has currently achieved savings of 13.3 per cent according to schedule.
The first integrated Annual Report published according to GRI G4 reporting guidelines today
Sponda’s responsibility efforts took a significant step forward in 2014 when the company updated its responsibility priorities using a materiality analysis. As a part of the materiality analysis, Sponda implemented a responsibility survey among its most important stakeholders as well as responsibility and business impact analyses. The most significant stakeholder perspectives were observed in determining the most significant aspects of Sponda’s responsibility.
As a pioneer in its field, Sponda wants to improve responsibility reporting. In 2014, the company prepared a responsibility report in accordance with the GRI G4 reporting guidelines. The company’s first integrated Annual Report was published in accordance with GRI G4 reporting guidelines today.
International recognition for environment and corporate responsibility reporting
Sponda received international recognition for environment and corporate responsibility reporting in 2014. Sponda was ranked as the best property investment company in the Nordic region by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which measures companies’ greenhouse gas emissions and measures to reduce emissions.
Sponda was also awarded a Green Star for the second time in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) study. The Green Star is awarded to companies in the property industry that measure, implement, manage and develop responsibility successfully as an integral part of their business operations.
The first Finnish listed property investment company to sign the UN Global Compact initiative
In 2014, Sponda became the first Finnish listed property investment company to sign the UN Global Compact initiative. Sponda signed the UN Global Compact to mark the company’s commitment to ten principles related to human rights, labour, the environment, and anti-corruption.
Also in 2014, Sponda drafted a Code of Conduct that lays a foundation for the company’s responsibility efforts and their management as well as for its stakeholder cooperation.
The environment and responsibility development continues in 2015
This year, the main goals of Sponda’s environmental and corporate responsibility are related to reducing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of properties, decreasing water consumption, maximising the waste recovery rate and increasing the recycling rate. Sponda works together with customers to reduce the environmental impacts arising from the use of properties by increasing the scope of the company’s energy efficiency and environmental partnership programmes.
Sponda also aims to increase the number of its properties’ international LEED® and BREEAM® environmental certificates. Five new construction or basic repair sites are currently being assessed for environmental certification.
Sponda Plc
Further information: Hannamari Koivula, Sustainability Manager, tel. +358 40 581 9921
Sponda Plc is a property investment company specializing in commercial properties in the largest cities in Finland. Sponda's business concept is to own, lease and develop retail and office properties and shopping centres into environments that promote the business success of its clients. The fair value of Sponda's investment properties is approximately EUR 3.1 billion and the leasable area is around 1.2 million m².
