The Board of Directors of IGD – Immobiliare Grande Distribuzione SIIQ S.p.A. (“IGD” or the “Company”), a major player in Italy’s retail property market and listed on the STAR segment of the Italian Stock Exchange, which met today under the chairmanship of Gilberto Coffari, examined and for the first time formally approved the sixth sustainability report, for the financial year 2015.

The sustainability report isnow available on the Company website: https://www.gruppoigd.it/Sostenibilita

The approval of the Sustainability Report by the BoD is a further indication of the Board’s full commitment and of the ever greater integration between economic and social-environmental rationale. This type of approach forms the basis of the 2015-2018 Business Plan, where sustainability represents one of the 4 cornerstones of IGD’s business.

In line with what emerged from the analysis on material aspects, both IGD’s planning and its reporting are developed over 5 macro-issues.

The most important results obtained in 2015 for each of these are reported below.

1.  Integrity in business and management:

• A process was begun aimed at greater coordination and integration of sustainability in the internal process of risk analysis, present in IGD since 2010.

2.  Quality and efficiency of the Shopping Centres:

• The economic saving for the tenants, made possible thanks to the attention focused on the reduction in consumption and to the decrease in energy costs, is equal to approximately € 1,200,000 in total over the last three years,of which about €100,000 in 2015
• Strong focus on innovation. In  2015 IGD worked on three areas:
  • the structures, with the inauguration of Clodì Retail Park in Chioggia (Venice), equipped with a photovoltaic system and the restyling work in Centro Borgo and Centro Sarca. In the latter, the work carried out improved the liveability of the structure and reduced its environmental impact, with measures taken inside and outside aimed at obtaining Breeam in use certification (in the process of being obtained)
  • the merchandising and tenant mix,with the introduction of 26 new national and international brands with particular focus on restaurants/bars and services
  • innovation in the shopping experience to better meet the visitors’ needs and expectations. A number of projects are currently underway.

3.  A changing context:

• All the stakeholders were involved during the year. In particular, the second internal atmosphere assessment was carried out, with a 5 percentage point rise in employee satisfaction compared to what emerged from the previous one (in 2011);
• Awareness raised in all stakeholders on sustainability issues, by means of specific projects. One in particular was significantly successful,  the “Rulebook of good environmental practices” shared with all the Malls’ tenants with the purpose of improving, together with them, the environmental performance of the Shopping Centres.

4.  The concept of “Spaces to be lived in”:

• Among the events organised, particular focus was placed on inclusion, with good feedback and appreciation for “Happy Hand in tour”, the first across-the-board event involving all the IGD Shopping Centres where able-bodied individuals and those with disabilities confronted one another in sports challenges or they shared an artistic experience together;
• IGD received the Eubiosia Award for the second time for its partnership with  ANT (Associazione Nazionale Tumori)
• Significant employment impact on the local community: between the Malls’ tenants’ employees and the subcontract employees, it can be estimated that the IGD Centres provide employment for a total of  11,000 people.

 5.  Employees:

• High rate of employment stability confirmed: for the first time 100% of the 166 IGD employees  in Italy and Romania have a permanent contract;
• The process to define the content and the feasibility of a Welfare Plan continued.

Gilberto Coffari, Chairman of IGD – Immobiliare Grande Distribuzione SIIQ S.p.A, stated:

“We are satisfied with the results achieved in 2015, both from the point of view of having achieved the targets set out in the Business Plan and because during the year we saw the extent to which the outside world’s focus on our results had increased. Innovation, social relations, environment and transparency must continue to be the 4 keywords that form the basis of our commitment to making our Shopping Centres landmarks both for shopping and for leisure time”