For the third time in a row, GTC has been recognized with a silver award from the EPRA Sustainability Best Practices Recommendations Awards. The company has received this prestigious award for its commitment to environmental, social, and governance reporting practices presented in 2022 ESG report. Thus, the recognition confirms the high ESG standards implemented by the Group on the CEE scale.
In this year's EPRA Sustainability Best Practices Recommendations Awards (EPRA sBPR), GTC received silver level for compliance with EPRA sBPR guidelines. Each year EPRA recognises companies which have issued the best-in-class annual sustainability performance report. The jury specifically paid attention to practices in the areas of sustainability or responsible construction such as diversity & inclusion, health & safety policies and environmental solutions e.g. water and energy saving practices.
GTC has recently published its 2022 ESG report, summarizing the Group’s performance and describing activities both in the areas of sustainability, responsible construction, asset management and collaboration with local communities and stakeholder relations. As a leading responsible real estate company GTC has achieved excellent results from its environmental impact reduction activities. Total energy consumption was 196,046 MWh, 9% lower than in 2021. Annual CO2 emissions were 68,663 tCO2e -36% less than the previus year (19% reduction in LfL).
“We are committed to reducing our environmental impact, even though ESG reporting is not yet mandatory. The results of our latest report show that our efforts are having the desired effect. In 2022, we reduced our carbon footprint by 36% compared to previous years. We are delighted to have received the EPRA award for the third year in a row, which proves that we are on the right track" - said Gyula Nagy, President of GTC Management Board.
Year after year, GTC continues to deliver ambitious projects and developments in line with ESG principles and the use of green solutions. As of October 2023, 90% of GTC’s assets are green certified, and 19 projects received “Buildings without Barriers” or access4you® certificates. A huge source of pride was the receipt of the first LEED Platinum certification in Poland by the Zephirus office building in Warsaw. Outside Poland, in turn, the Advance Business Center II office building in Sofia and the Pillar office building in Budapest received LEED Gold certification.
GTC's mission is to build a solid foundation for the business for years to come. GTC Group invests in people and operates responsibly, as this year's report confirms. The company believes that by delivering commercial real estate and building lasting relationships, it can create real added value for all partners: tenants, investors, and employees. GTC strongly integrates all its activities with social and environmental issues. All GTC’s properties in Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Croatia, as well as the Advance Business Center office complex in Bulgaria, use green energy.