ESG Strategy

For Shurgard, corporate Environment Social Governance (“ESG”) responsibility began as a commitment to reduce carbon emissions (as documented in previous annual reports). The scope of our programme has broadened over time and we believe that every organisation has a commitment to improvement of ESG performance. As such we commit to:

• The fulfilment of relevant compliance obligations;
• Working to ensure we understand climate change risks and the potential impact on our business – to ensure business resilience (or sustainability);
• Continually working towards the development and implementation of an environmental management system to enhance environmental performance and integrate recognised environmental management into our business operations;
• Protection of the environment, including the prevention of pollution and sustainable use of resources;
• Measure and act to reduce the carbon footprint of our business activities to meet our published objectives in the annual report;
• Manage waste generated from our business operations incorporating reduction, re-use, recycling in accordance with the principles of the waste hierarchy;
• Give due consideration to environmental issues (such as biodiversity) and energy performance in the acquisition, design, refurbishment, location and use of buildings;
• Ensure environmental, including climate change, criteria are considered in the procurement of goods (including building materials) services;
• Incorporating environmental factors into business decisions as standard.

Environment

• Develop prioritised action plans for an optimized management of energy and water across all buildings;
• Reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by 10% in 2023 (based on 2017 base year) on a same store basis;
• Reduce water consumption by 5% by 2023 (against a base of 2017) on a same store basis;
• Develop an environmental management system with gradual alignment to ISO 14001;
• Develop a framework to assess sustainability risks at all assets – to address all key issues including energy, water, waste and flood risk;
• Introduce programmes to track waste management.

Social

• Keep rolling-out the Shurgard Academy programme;
• Establish a community and charitable engagement policy;
• Continue to empower gender equality.

Governance

• Review and, where appropriate, update our existing corporate governance charter;
• Report on sustainability programmes through EPRA compliant approaches.

General Sustainability

• Participate in GRESB and work to improve scores year-on-year;
• Develop further sustainability training programmes for our employees;
• Continue to develop supply chain engagement frameworks.