2019 Sustainability report
The Board of Directors held on 27 February 2020 also approved the Corporate Sustainability Report which was subject to Limited Assurance by PricewaterhouseCoopers which certified compliance with the most important international standards (the GRI Standards).
The report provides a better look at the sustainability strategy, particularly with regard to its three pillars: the material topics, specific sustainability risks, and the short/medium-term targets. With regard specifically to climate change and related risks, in 2019 IGD decided to address the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) in the CSR.
In 2017 the Company launched the strategy «Becoming Great», which summarizes the company’s commitment to growth that is «Green, Responsible, Ethical, Attractive, Together». The performances of the company during the year described in the CSR are divided into chapters based on these categories:
- Green: reduced consumption of electricity by 7.1%, thanks also to the solar panels installed (active in 7 shopping centers) and the use of LED lighting (found in 19 shopping centers); BREEAM IN USE certification for 2 more key assets (Esp in Ravenna and Puntadiferro in Forlì) for a total of 5 certified shopping centers; continued with the UNI EN ISO 14001 environmental certification process (20 centers are certified, in addition to the headquarters or 88% of IGD’s portfolio); the use exclusively, as of 2017, of renewable energy; support of sustainable mobility with the installation of 10 charging stations for electric cars in 5 shopping centers (and will reach 32 in 18 shopping centers by the end of 2020) and a solar powered charging station for electric bicycles at the Clodì Retail Park.
- Responsible: number of employees increased 3.1% with the introduction of a new role, Digital Strategist; the third year of the Corporate Welfare Plan, with the participation of all employees; continued implementation of voluntary measures at shopping centers focused on shopping center safety involving earthquake proofing and the installation of anti-intrusion bollards in Italy and fire proofing in Romania.
- Ethical: after receiving UNI ISO 37001 anticorruption certification in Romania, the process for obtaining the same certification in Italy was begun; a «whistleblowing» procedure was adopted; the Compensation Policy was updated.
- Attractive: restyling was completed at Centro Casilino in Rome, Fonti del Corallo in Livorno and Gran Rondò in Crema (CR) which focused on increasing the appeal of the structures and the sustainability of the buildings; 716 free events were organized in the year for a total investment by the shopping centers of €3.8 million; further work was done on the innovation project with the systematic use of Instagram and the introduction of Amazon Lockers in 21 shopping centers.
- Together: the “Social Borgo” project was launched at Centro Borgo in Bologna in order to understand and respond to local needs by working together as a team within the shopping center; the more than 16,600 jobs offered, the partnerships with approximately 895 local suppliers, the fact that local brands account for 43% of the brands found in the malls and the involvement of 367 local associations all confirm IGD’s social role within the community.
