How do you plan for the future?
By taking your own responsibility seriously.
At SONAR, we aim to perform property investments and ongoing asset management activities with a clear focus on sustainability. Climate change and the creation of healthy, resilient working, living and residential spaces are key drivers in the development of cities and urban areas. As an owner-managed investment and asset management company, we take our significant responsibility towards people and the environment seriously. We work consistently and actively to incorporate sustainability aspects into each of our projects in the best possible way. We endeavour to create long-term value for our investors and the communities in which we operate, while promoting sustainable practices. Ultimately, to make a significant contribution to achieving the EU's environmental goals. Our ambitious ESG strategy creates the framework that enables us to face the complex challenges of a sustainable future purposefully.
Sustainable Development Goals
As a SME real estate company, we consider it our responsibility to make our own contribution to implementing the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These and the 169 additionally formulated sub-goals serve as a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable global development.
We have analysed and prioritised the SDGs with regard to our business activities and our strategy. In particular, we want to have a positive impact on the following four SDGs.
Our contribution
SDG 07: Affordable and Clean Energy
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
SDG 09: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
SDG 13: Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Our sustainability management
The integration of sustainability aspects into our business activities and processes is of vital importance for our long-term economic success and the satisfaction of our stakeholders. SONAR's management bears overall responsibility, supported by the Strategy & Operations department. The implementation is managed via responsibilities in our business units and in particular within all areas of the SONAR competence groups. Together, the sustainability strategy is consistently developed further and the implementation of the strategy in the day-to-day business is driven forward reliably and continuously. The environmentally friendly utilisation of resources, the use of innovative technologies, the continuous training of our employees and the careful selection of competent business partners form the foundation for our sustainability strategy.
As a partner for real estate investments, asset management and project development, we have the ambition to create real added value for our customers and to move forward with innovative strength. In addition, the high level of satisfaction of our employees and the social acknowledgement and recognition of our daily activities are of fundamental importance. In order to achieve this, the highest level of integrity, compliant behaviour and respect for fundamental ethical values are essential for us. Our Code of Conduct, with which employees and business partners are familiar and which obliges them to comply with the regulations contained therein, serves as the basis for this.
Our ESG strategy
Taking responsibility
Based on a comprehensive analysis, we defined the key areas for our sustainability strategy in 2023. The objective was to systematically structure and specify the content of our sustainability ambitions in order to actively, systematically and successfully expand our sustainability performance.
Our priorities are grouped into three areas of action: environment, social affairs and corporate governance. To ensure measurable success, we have developed a sustainability programme and assigned targets, measures, KPIs and deadlines to each key area.
Every division of SONAR is embedded in the strategy. Its implementation is monitored to ensure it is up to date and continuously refined.
Our commitment
Our goals in the areas of environment, social and corporate governance.
Environment
- Energy and Emissions
- Waste
- Water
- Mobility
- Biodiversity
Social
- Work conditions / Employee satisfaction
- Diversity and Equality
- Health and safety at work
- Competence and training
- Support and sponsorship
- Stakeholder engagement
Corporate Governance
- Compliance (anti-corruption, ethics and integrity)
- Client satisfaction
- Risk management
- Data protection and IT security
- Sustainability in the supply chain
Environment
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and we therefore attach great importance to reducing CO2 emissions. Consequently, we have set ourselves extensive goals, such as increasing energy efficiency in project development and asset management mandates, creating mobility concepts and increasing green building certifications for our properties. Reducing water consumption and protecting biodiversity are also very important to us. For this reason, in addition to other planned measures, we will carry out comprehensive environmental impact assessments for our new construction projects, record water consumption at our office locations and implement effective savings measures. We are committed to the use of products that are as recyclable and resource-efficient as possible, as well as the recycling of existing materials.
Social
It is our employees who enable the sustainable success of our company. Their satisfaction is therefore particularly important. This is why we are expanding our incentive and feedback culture, adapting our benefits pool to employee needs and setting up an anonymous whistleblower hotline. We want to support our employees in developing their skills through systematic training and development. For example, we offer our new colleagues a mentoring programme that provides them with optimal support right from the start.
We have also signed the "Diversity Charter" and emphasise that we are committed to increasing diversity and improving inclusion. However, it is not just the well-being of our employees that is important to us; we also want to make a positive contribution to society and plan individual initiatives with our employees at our offices. We incorporate the interests of local stakeholders into our business activities. For example, every new construction and extensive revitalisation project involves an exchange with the various local interest groups. Where possible, we proactively participate as members in community interest groups.
Corporate Governance
Compliance is an integral part of SONAR's corporate culture and is firmly anchored in our daily activities. Consistent adherence to our compliance guidelines and ensuring responsible data management are therefore essential elements of our strategy. Accordingly, we organise annual training courses on compliance and data protection. We are aware that a significant part of our environmental and social responsibility results from processes that are rooted in supply chains and can only be indirectly controlled by us. We intend to influence the environmental and social standards of our suppliers by drawing up procurement guidelines. We are also planning to expand our range of sustainable investment products. To this end, we are working on initiating Article 8 and 9 property funds in accordance with the EU Disclosure Regulation. Risk management is another key aspect of our strategy. It is crucial for us to know what impact our business activities have on people and the environment, but also what influence external developments can have on our business. An indispensable instrument of our risk management is conducting ESG due diligence for both new construction projects and real estate acquisitions.
Get things moving.
The 8 top goals of our ESG strategy
