7R, a Polish developer specialising in providing warehouse and industrial space, has published its first ESG report, setting sustainable development goals until 2025. The company's priority is to strive for climate neutrality and to support customers in this regard. 7R declares that ESG is the foundation of its operations and is part of a long-term strategy of increasing the value of the company itself and its products, which benefits tenants, investors, local communities and employees.
In 2021, 7R delivered 400,000 sqm of certified logistics space. During this time, the company, in cooperation with investment funds, sold 17 projects for a total amount of €400 million. The portfolio of properties managed by 7R has also increased and is comprising over 1 million sqm. Currently, approx. 570,000 sqm of warehouse and industrial space is under construction.
“We build our business with care for the planet and local communities, as well as in accordance with the highest standards of corporate governance. Sustainable business is the foundation of our business and the main priority in our strategy of increasing the value of 7R. In order to best respond to the needs of stakeholders – investors, tenants, communities and employees – and to maintain a stable position on the market, we have developed a number of ESG policies and consistently implement them within the adopted business model”, says Tomasz Lubowiecki, Founder and CEO of 7R.
The 7R ESG strategy, which will apply in 2022-2025, will be based on three strategic pillars: striving for climate neutrality, supporting local communities and employee development, and acting in accordance with the adopted corporate governance.
“Counteracting climate change is a huge challenge, especially in our industry, which is why we place emphasis on the environmental aspects of our operations in the ESG policy. The quality of our facilities and their environmental friendliness is a key issue for us. We also require general contractors to meet strict environmental standards. All this to maximize the energy efficiency of the facilities, and at the same time minimize their carbon footprint. Thanks to the use of renewable energy sources and appropriate systems, we support tenants in achieving climate neutrality, which is confirmed by the high rating our facilities receive in the BREEAM certification process”, says Tomasz Lubowiecki.
7R offers its customers many innovative solutions, such as photovoltaic panels, increased wall and roof insulation, LED lighting or an energy management system - they bring real benefits both for the environment (reduction of CO2 emissions) and tenants, in the form of reduced operating costs of buildings. Analyses carried out by 7R for a warehouse facility with an area of 20,000 sqm prove that energy consumption in a building is reduced by up to 50%. In addition, electric car chargers, planting vegetation, flower meadows or green roofs help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 381 tonnes per year.
7R declares in the report that by 2023 it will develop a decarbonisation plan in line with the SBTi methodology, and all the developer's warehouses will be BREEAM certified at the level of at least "Very Good".
In implementing the objectives of the area of Social responsibility, 7R is involved in a number of initiatives, thanks to which it builds good-neighbourly relations with local communities. Some of the developer's investments include, among others, creating additional roads that are used by residents, or renovating existing communication routes. The company also supports local sports teams and young artists as part of the 7R Warehouse of Art initiative.
“Relations with the local community are essential to the development of our business. We believe that the planned increase in expenditure on pro-ecological initiatives will further strengthen our relations with local communities. We also care about the comfort of people employed at 7R. In the last two years alone, the number of our employees has doubled. We make every effort to provide them and all new 7R employees with conditions for continuous professional development, as well as access to modern tools, training and benefits”, adds Tomasz Lubowiecki.
7R operates in accordance with the corporate governance policy and procedures, regulating relations within the company and representing the company's value chain. In response to the growing expectations of investors and foreign clients, they will be adjusted to international management standards. In 2021, the developer adopted the Code of Good Practice, which defines key business values and the principles of ethical business conduct.
In the published report, 7R undertakes to regularly monitor the progress of implementing the policy and analyse potential risks in this regard. Once a year, a strategic planning session is planned, during which it will be possible to verify ESG obligations based on the analysis of the current socio-economic situation.
7R collaborated with Deloitte to prepare the report. Deloitte participated in the process of preparing the ESG report as an advisor (on the implementation of global GRI standards).
