Apsys Polska’s new ESG Report: continuing the sustainable development strategy to 2030

Apsys Polska has published another ESG Report, summarising its sustainability activities in 2023 and the progress of the Group’s strategic objectives set until 2030.

‘The Apsys Polska Sustainability Policy’ is the fourth comprehensive document that presents the non-financial performance of the organisation. Apsys’ publicly available reports related to environmental, social and corporate governance aspects have been published regularly since 2020. The latest publication covers the results for 2023.

– We see social responsibility as a mission, which is why we committed to reporting ESG achievements even before the introduction of EU regulations on reporting of non-financial factors. The CSRD regulations have been in place in Poland since this year for the largest public interest companies, and in 2025 they will cover another group of large companies, including Apsys. On our own initiative, we have been preparing annual reports for several years, which not only contain measurable data, but also organise and provide direction for the entire organisation. Since the company’s inception, we have been committed to the development of cities, with concern and a sense of real impact on the wellbeing of their inhabitants. At the same time, we recognise the importance of sustainable development for the future of the economy and the health of businesses. We believe that reliable and regular work on preparing ESG reports, focus on measurable effects and transparency of information will result in an increase in social trust in the business world, dissemination of knowledge on sustainable development and increasing involvement of our industry in good practices,’ says Magdalena Błądek, ESG Officer at Apsys Polska.

The report consists of 4 chapters consistent with the pillars of Apsys’ strategy. The first concerns environmental actions and commitments, including carbon footprint reduction, electricity and water savings, certification and biodiversity. The second pillar focuses on bespoke projects for a specific location. It contains information on how much the company has achieved in the area of caring for the quality of urban spaces and supporting local communities, in running its own retail, catering (Food Fyrtel in Poznań) and residential projects (Solea – Apartments at the Races in Warsaw, Nowa Stawowa and Staromiejskie Apartments in Wrocław), in removing architectural barriers, in effectively managing shopping centres and in developing their shopping and non-shopping offer. The third part of the report deals with activities related to the promotion of good practices among customers and business partners (e.g. implementation of green contracts and pro-environmental solutions, promotion of the principle of transparency in the organisation of tenders, inclusion of stakeholders in the value chain in good business practices). The last chapter is devoted to Apsys Polska’s corporate culture, projects supporting the development of the team and individual talents, and regular employee satisfaction surveys.

Some of Apsys’ biggest ESG achievements last year, detailed in the report, include a reduction in CO2 emissions for the entire portfolio to 82 kg/sq m, a record 39% reduction compared to 2022. The organisation is also steadily reducing its demand for electricity – last year’s average consumption was 8% less compared to 2022 and as much as around 29% less compared to the 2014 base year, and water, whose consumption per visitor fell by 9% compared to 2014. In addition, Apsys is successfully carrying out certification processes for managed buildings. In 2023. 90% of the organisation’s management portfolio was BREEAM In-Use certified at the Excellent level. Over the past year, the importance of the so-called green annexes to leases implemented by Apsys Polska has also increased significantly – in Posnania, 87% of all leases already have such an annex. At the same time, the organisation records increasingly higher results in the employee satisfaction survey – last year, job satisfaction increased by 2 NPS points.

In pursuing its strategy, Apsys focuses on 12 of the 17 Goals set out in the UN Agenda 2030, i.e. clean water and sanitation, clean and accessible energy, sustainable cities and communities, climate action, living on land (protecting sustainable land ecosystems and biodiversity), economic growth and decent work, less inequality, responsible consumption and production, partnerships for the goals, good health and quality of life, good quality education and gender equality.

Apsys’ ESG policy activity goes beyond the reporting obligation imposed by legislation. Educational activities in the areas of human rights protection, business ethics and environmental protection remain one of Apsys’ priorities. The company implements proprietary CSR programmes aimed at consumers, such as Think Green and Spectrum of Understanding, organises environmental and health-oriented events in its retail facilities (in 2023 alone, 145 and 17 such events were held respectively), conducts training for employees as part of the Development Academy, as well as workshops dedicated to ESG topics in the Climate Mosaic series. The principles that guide the organisation’s internal structures and business relations are set out in two documents: ‘Apsys Group Code of Ethics’ and the Green Annex to contracts with business partners, prepared with customers and business partners in mind. Since 2023, the company has been a member of the UN Global Compact, established at the initiative of the United Nations, the world’s largest organisation of sustainable businesses.

A report detailing Apsys Poland’s ESG performance and targets is available at: www.apsys.pl/esg/