Focus and performance

Focus and
performance

2023 CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVING

Gold Award for compliance with its Best Practices Recommendations (BPR) for financial reporting

Silver Award for compliance with its Best Practices Recommendations for sustainability reporting (sBPR)

ESG Risk rated by Sustainalytics improved to Negligible in the August 2023 review

NEPI Rockcastle - ESG 2024 - badges

AAA ESG rating "leader" industry

In July 2023 NEPI Rockcastle received a rating of AAA (on a scale of AAA-CCC) in the MSCI ESG Ratings assessment *

Prime Label Corporate Responsibility awarded by ISS ESG

CDP B-
CDP Climate Change B List (score on scale A to D-)


Taking coordinated management on climate issues

Environmental, Social and Governance rating

ESG Risk rated as Negligible (7.8/100) by Sustainalytics, a leading independent global provider of ESG ratings.

The company is at negligible risk of experiencing material financial impacts from ESG factors, due to its low exposure and strong management of material ESG issues. The company is noted for its strong corporate governance performance, which is reducing its overall risk. Furthermore, the company has not experienced significant controversies.

NEPI Rockcastle was also included in the FTSE4Good index (founded by FTSE Russell) measuring the performance of companies demonstrating strong ESG.

ESG approach revolves around the following:

  • strong focus on corporate governance through compliance with the King IV Report on Corporate Governance in South Africa, and voluntarily implements selected principles recommended in the UK and Dutch codes
  • relevant supporter and developer of the communities where it operates
  • commitment to achieve the highest standards of sustainability and act as a responsible corporate citizen
  • consistent application and continuous improvement of the ESG approach

Key sustainability metrics in 2022

23 kg

Carbon intensity CO2e/m2/year
 

73%

Assets equipped with highlyefficient LED lighting (by GLA)

10

Photovoltaic
installations
 

74%

Share of renewable electricity in total electricity

100%

of the properties are BREEAM Certified
 

Key sustainability progress compared to 2021

-13%

CO2 emissions
 

-13%

electricity intensity/ 1000 visitors

+15%

waste recycling rate
 

+11%

share of renewable electricity

-18%

gas and district heating consumption

Sustainability Approach

NEPI Rockcastle strongly believes in its duty to be a responsible corporate citizen and achieve the highest standards of sustainability. Under the guidance of the Board of Directors and the permanent coordination from the Social and Ethics Committee, the Group embraces this approach as a driving force of its strategic objectives, influencing significantly its stakeholders relationship management and allowing one unified approach towards customers, local communities, staff, suppliers, investors, analysts, local and central government, peers and non-governmental organizations.

NEPI Rockcastle continues to pursue its focus on sustainability, as outlined in the Annual Report. With the clear vision of improving the long-term sustainability of its operations, the Group continued to invest in clean and sustainable technologies, adopt policies that address environmental and social risks and engage in more proactive stakeholder discussions.

Sustainability Commitment

NEPI Rockcastle is committed to leading the change to a better future by continuously increasing the sustainability efforts and intends that the Group’s business partners to join that effort and share similar ambitions around positive environmental impact, circularity, dialogue and all the ESG pillars respectively. The sustainability commitment with NEPI Rockcastle’s business partners is one of the steps to join efforts for the ambitious points which the Group has to reduce the environmental impact of the building’s operations, as well as in maintaining and improving the existing environmental performance of the buildings. To this extent, the Group directs its efforts on reducing the carbon footprint of its property portfolio.

Green and Sustainability-Linked Financing

€1 billion green bonds have been issued under the Green Finance Framework (€500 million in July 2020, and another €500 million in January 2022) and a green loan agreement concluded with the IFC in June 2021. The Company has committed to use proceeds from green bonds and green loans to finance or refinance existing and future projects which improve the environmental performance of the Group’s property portfolio.

Moreover, NEPI Rockcastle has established a robust Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework to guide its future funding initiatives. This framework incorporates Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Sustainability Performance Targets (SPTs) that are intricately linked to our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance energy efficiency across all our operations.

Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework

Green Financing Framework

Green Bond Report

Green Buildings

BREEAM is the world’s leading environmental assessment method and rating system. Buildings that obtain BREEAM recognition have achieved the highest corporate, organisational and environmental objectives, and enhance the continuous improvement capability for sustainable design, construction and operation.

The BREEAM ‘In Use’ certification policy ensures that biodiversity issues are well addressed and promoted to achieve high standards. Once the project has been built and delivered, the Group’s operating management team, particularly the on-site teams that manage each asset, are responsible for maintaining and monitoring biodiversity.

The Group continues to monitor its buildings, to certify or re-certify them, as a measure of its commitment to long-term sustainability. BREEAM certification is a continuous process, where all buildings requiring review and re-certification are analyzed timely by independent authorized consultants.

BREEAM certified assets as at 31 December 2022*

Property
Country
Property Type
     *100% BREEAM certified eligible portfolio without strip malls and industrial
Alfa Centrum Bialystok
Poland
Retail
Arena Centar and Retail Park
Croatia
Retail
Arena Mall
Hungary
Retail
Atrium Copernicus
Poland
Retail
Aupark Kosice Mall
Slovakia
Retail
Aupark Kosice Tower
Slovakia
Office
Aupark Shopping Center Piestany
Slovakia
Retail
Aupark Zilina
Slovakia
Retail
Aura Centrum
Poland
Retail
Bonarka City Center
Poland
Retail
Braila Mall
Romania
Retail
City Park
Romania
Retail
Focus Mall Piotrkow Trybunalski
Poland
Retail
Focus Mall Zielona Gora
Poland
Retail
Forum Gdańsk
Poland
Retail
Forum Liberec Shopping Centre
Czech Republic
Retail
Forum Ústí nad Labem
Czech Republic
Retail
Galeria Mlyny
Slovakia
Retail
Galeria Tomaszow
Poland
Retail
Galeria Warminska
Poland
Retail
Galeria Wolomin
Poland
Retail
Iris Titan Shopping Center
Romania
Retail
Karolinka Shopping Centre
Poland
Retail
Korzo Shopping Centrum
Slovakia
Retail
Mammut Shopping Centre
Hungary
Retail
Mega Mall
Romania
Retail
Ozas Shopping and Entertainment Centre
Lithuania
Retail
Paradise Center
Bulgaria
Retail
Pitesti Retail Park
Romania
Retail
Platan Shopping Centre
Poland
Retail
Ploiesti Shopping City
Romania
Retail
Pogoria Shopping Centre
Poland
Retail
Promenada Mall
Romania
Retail
Promenada Novi Sad
Serbia
Retail
Promenada Sibiu
Romania
Retail
Serdika Center
Bulgaria
Retail
Serdika Office
Bulgaria
Office
Severin Shopping Center
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Buzau
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Deva
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Galati
Romania
Excellent
Shopping City Piatra Neamt
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Râmnicu Vâlcea
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Satu Mare
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Sibiu
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Targu Mures
Romania
Retail
Shopping City Timisoara
Romania
Retail
Solaris Shopping Centre
Romania
Retail
Vulcan Value Centre
Romania
Retail

Priorities of the Community Engagement strategy

The Group focused on three main pillars that are contributing altogether to more healthy and responsible ecosystems, thus improving people’s lives and lifestyles:

  • Social and Health
    NEPI Rockcastle increased the impact of its social and health education programs by developing a series of scalable projects across its network. It focused on rigorously selected community needs that tackled education and health support, from prevention to intervention. NEPI Rockcastle believes a community should be well informed, well connected with its relevant bodies, with strong networks within the respective community, becoming an engaged, responsible and active part of the society. The Group believes it is its role to support community growth and development, and it chooses to do that in ways that are collaborative, encourage engagement amongst community players, authorities and people. The Group brings all parties together and acts as a facilitator of sustainable engagement.

 

  • Environment
    Climate change and environment protection are not just global priorities and top policy concerns in Europe, but also local and community issues. Tackling environmental matters starts at the level of each person and the community as a whole. The Group believes that it should also be a practice in everyday life of companies and people to bring their contribution. In this respect, environment responsible actions have been implemented across all countries. Moreover, the Group continuously engages with the tenants and business partners to encourage them to join in this initiative, build awareness and boost support.

 

  • Educating communities
    NEPI Rockcastle invested in educational programs for children and parents, as it is the belief of the Group that education is the most powerful tool that one can use to truly create positive impact and change the world to a better place in the long run. The Group aligned educational topics with the local communities, bringing them relevant information from various fields of interest: science, parenting, technology, road safety, safeguarding and keeping traditions.