Sonae Sierra strengthens the implementation of ESG measures

Alina Oprea
Sonae Sierra reinforces the implementation of ESG measures and states that sustainability is a differentiating factor and a commitment from the company for more than 20 years. Tenants and service providers join the company's commitment to encourage the implementation of better ESG practices - targeting environmental, social and governance criteria, with the aim of making shopping centers in Europe more sustainable, the company says.

Sonae Sierra is present in 11 countries, and globally manages assets and real estate properties worth more than € 8 billion, in various sectors.

"Sierra's integrated sustainability strategy, a leader in the international real estate sector, has enabled it to create added value for business, the environment and society. This market differentiator of more than two decades has now been extended to include ESG criteria – environmental, social and governance – in contracts with tenants and service providers in the shopping centres the company manages in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Romania and Greece", announced the company.

The conditions include measures to monitor and improve safety, welfare and environmental performance not only for the shop space, but also for the shopping centres as a whole and their communities. Commitment on the part of centres, traders and service providers also involves ensuring not only respect for human rights but also adequate and fair working conditions for all employees.

"Sustainability is part of our DNA and has accompanied Sierra's evolution for decades. By expanding ESG criteria in shopping centre contracts, we strengthen the added value brought to business, the environment and society. We also position ourselves as agents of change, encouraging everyone who works with us to practice responsible management. To create the cities of the future, we must work together. The new development cycle started by Sierra in 2021 reinforces the company's sustainability strategy. We have achieved positive results by aligning ourselves with environmental, social and governance best practices to constantly evolve alongside our partners. We aim to reach carbon neutrality by 2040, which means a 10-year advance compared to the European Commission's objective", says Ana Guedes de Oliveira, Executive Director - Asset Management at Sonae Sierra.

RECOMMENDED
Architect Matius Ichim: Lack of education in terms of ESG is the challenge
Real estate

Architect Matius Ichim: "Lack of education in terms of ESG is the challenge"

Lack of education in terms of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and a poor number of good practice solutions are two of the challenges in the field, says Matius Ichim, Architect at Matius Studio and owner of the retail platform www.prioretail.ro. He talked to Green Forum about the advantages of a sustainably built commercial space. He says that 15-20% of the operating networks in Romania have started implementing ESG key principles in their fit-out design and close to 5% in full sustainable standards.

Doraly Expo Market invests €2.1 million in energy efficiency solutions
Real estate

Doraly Expo Market invests €2.1 million in energy efficiency solutions

The Doraly Expo Market commercial park is investing €2.1 million in energy efficiency solutions, by installing photovoltaic power plants, and charging stations for electric cars and replacing all lighting fixtures with LEDs. The photovoltaic panels will produce approximately 2,700 MWh of green energy annually, representing approximately 50% of the energy consumed.

Real estate owners and developers interest in sustainability increases
Real estate

Real estate owners and developers' interest in sustainability increases

Green building certifications have become a must for landlords seeking competitive differentiators in today's challenging real estate market. Retail is the “greenest” sector, followed by industrial & logistics, and office, according to a Colliers report. In the coming years, landlords who fail to align with stakeholders' sustainability - demands will be affected, say the consultants.

Changing job titles is not enough, mindsets need to change
Finance

Changing job titles is not enough, mindsets need to change

Some of the key components of the necessary framework to support sustainability and attract additional investment for companies are transparency, monitoring and reporting, says Ilinka Kajgana, Executive Vice President Risk, Member of the Executive Committee at BCR.

RECOMMENDED FROM THE HOME PAGE
Sustainability moves from ambition to action
Real estate

Sustainability moves from ambition to action

Conducted in autumn 2025, the RICS Sustainable Real Estate Survey Europe gathered 112 responses from valuers, developers, investors and other professionals across 30 countries. The findings confirm that ESG has moved from a peripheral concern to a core driver of real estate value, risk and decision-making across Europe.

Finance

ProCredit Bank Romania launches CO2 calculator for SMEs

ProCredit Bank Romania has launched a CO2 Emissions Calculator to help microenterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises quantify and understand their carbon footprint. This initiative reflects the Procredit Group's commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with client engagement at the core of its Climate Action Strategy.

Energy

DSV boosts energy self-sufficiency with solar power

DSV – Global Transport and Logistics, the world's largest logistics operator, has launched a solar installation at its warehouse in Łozienica, Poland, in partnership with commercial real estate investor Accolade. The installation will meet the energy needs of Poland's first multi-client warehouse equipped with an AutoStore system.

Energy

Etem Gestamp signs cross-border wind power deal with Rezolv

Etem Gestamp, the Sofia-based joint venture between Viohalco Group and Spain's Gestamp Group focused on aluminium extrusion and processing for the automotive industry, and Rezolv Energy, the Actis-backed independent power producer, have signed a 10-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) in Bulgaria. The VPPA will see Etem Gestamp buy electricity from Rezolv Energy's 461MW 'Vifor' wind farm, which is about to come onstream in Buzău County, Romania. It is the first cross-border wind PPA that has been publicly announced in Bulgaria.

READ MORE
Green Forum  |  24 April, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Green Forum  |  14 April, 2026 at 8:46 AM