Sonae Sierra celebrates Global Environment Day

This June 5th, a day to encourage awareness of Environmental issues worldwide, Sonae Sierra celebrates with its stakeholders the comprehensive work carried out and the results of its environmental protection policies for current and future generations.

It is Sonae Sierra’s belief that no economic activity can take place in a vacuum, somehow disconnected from either people or the planet. Therefore, during 2009, Sonae Sierra continued to improve its environmental performance. Our Environmental Management System (EMS) which is certified according to the International Standard ISO 14001, has the goal of minimizing the environmental impacts of the Company’s activities, across all business areas and is applied in all countries where Sierra operates, from the procurement, concept and design, to the construction and operation of shopping centres. It also includes our own offices in each country. The EMS aims at ensuring that
the Company achieves continuous improvement in CR performance regarding the environment.

“Developing and managing shopping centres has impacts on the environment, society and economy. As a result, companies that are pro-actively managing these impacts will not only create a more sustainable business model but also contribute to the safeguarding of the environment for current and future generations”, says Fernando Guedes de Oliveira, Sonae Sierra CEO.

As of 2009, Sonae Sierra has reached its objectives in several impact areas:

We reduced our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of the owned portfolio and corporate offices to 0,067 (tCO2e/m2GLA), a reduction of almost 17.5 percent from 2006. On the other hand, compared to 2005, the company has reduced the water consumption in its shopping centres throughout the world by 11.6 percent. As a result, water consumption per shopping centre visitor dropped from 4.3 to 3.8 litres in the last four years. As for the Electrical efficiency (excluding tenants) of the owned portfolio, the consumption was reduced by approximately 9 percent between 2006 and 2009, and is now at 527 (kWh/m2 mall and toilet area/year). Regarding the total waste recycled, as a proportion of waste produced across the owned portfolio, we increased from 26% (in weight) in 2005 to 46% (in weight) in 2009, representing an increase of 48 percent.

The company has already defined new short term targets for 2010, maintaining its long term targets in order to pursue its commitment to implement and develop the best environmental practices within its business, while make a positive contribution and setting new pioneering Environmental protection solutions in its activity. For more information about our CR performance and goals visit: http://www.sonaesierra.com/enGB/corporateresponsibility/ceomessage.aspx

source : Sonae Sierra