IGD – Immobiliare Grande Distribuzione SIIQ S.p.A.(“IGD” or the “Company”), leading owner and manager of retail shopping centers in Italy and listed on the STAR segment of the Italian Stock Exchange, announces the publication of the fourth edition of the Corporate Sustainability Report (for 2013), available on the corporate website  : www.gruppoigd.it/Sustainability.

The journey leading to the inclusion of the concept of social responsibility in the 2014-2016 Business Plan was completed in 2013. The 2013 Corporate Sustainability Report summarizes the results achieved with respect to the three strategic priorities.

1.    Increase in the quality and the efficiency of the shopping centers:

–       Energy consumption fell ( – 7.8% in Italy and – 22.2% in Romania) thanks also to the steps taken in terms of operations and systems;

–        Emissions lowered by 1,719 tons of carbon dioxide, which corresponds to the amount of Co2 absorbed in one year by a forest covering one square kilometer;

–        green light given to proceed with BREEAM certification for Centro Sarca (undergoing restyling): in 2014 this structure will follow the procedures needed to become one of the first real estate complexes in Italy to obtain this certification;

–        restyling of Centro Sarca and Centro d’Abruzzo completed with a view to reducing environmental impact (LED lighting, flooring made out of recycled materials, etc.)

 2.    Interpret the needs of a changing environment:

–        Structured involvement of stakeholders: the employee satisfaction survey conducted in 2011 was followed in 2013 by tenant engagement initiatives like the tenant satisfaction survey, as well as the customer satisfaction and visitor satisfaction surveys and events.  In 2014 shareholders and investors are expected to get involved in CSR topics.  The results provided important insight as to how to improve the Company’s operations.

3.    Reinforcement of the concept “Spaces to be lived in”:

–        Increase in the events organized inside malls  (+9.4% with respect to the prior year), initiatives were, in fact, scheduled every three days in every shopping center;

–        The number of non-profit associations and entities hosted in IGD’s centers rose from 163 to 236: a result which confirms the significant visibility that the shopping centers provide tertiary projects;

–        the search for ways to make the centers more accessible for the physically challenged continued; the  restyling of Centro d’Abruzzo and Centro Sarca was adapted to the guidelines developed following a specific audit completed between 2012 and 2013;

–        notes included in leases and rental agreements refer to IGD’s commitment to social responsibility and the hope that all its stakeholders will become involved in the sustainability policies

–        the attention to the economic sustainability of tenants was maintained: charges for promotions/management reduced by 2.2% in Italy and by 9.3% in Romania. More in detail, the drop in energy consumption in Italy resulted in cost savings of more than € 600,000.

Furthermore:

–        growth posted in all the indicators linked to the training of personnel. Between 2013 and 2014, in particular, all the employees participated or will participate in introductory courses relating to corporate social responsibility.