Sustainability assessment and emission targets leading towards carbon-neutral and sustainable facilities
Senate Group has published its Corporate Social Responsibility Report for 2024. The report is a comprehensive description of 2024 for the Group’s unincorporated state enterprises, Senate Properties and Defence Properties Finland, from the economic, social and environmental responsibility aspects.
Our aim is for carbon-neutral state premises by 2025
Emissions during the use of state-owned properties have fallen significantly. Senate Properties has reduced direct and purchased energy indirect emissions by 83% and Defence Properties Finland by 54% compared to the 2020 base level.
During the year under review, we spent a total of €759 million, an exceptionally high amount, on building and investing in our customers’ premises. We built premises especially for the use of the security authorities.
“Responsibility is also strongly reflected in construction management: we carry out a sustainability assessment in all construction projects over €4 million in their preparation phase. The assessment supports the consideration of measures that promote carbon neutrality and the circular economy, for example. In addition, we set carbon neutrality targets for our construction projects,” says Timo Kanerva, Sustainability Director at Senate Group.
In terms of environmental objectives, safeguarding biodiversity plays an important role in Senate’s operations. The aim of the nature roadmap we prepared during the year under review is to achieve no net loss by 2030. We carried out measures to promote biodiversity at 25 sites. A total of 155 nature surveys have been carried out. The results of the surveys will be utilised in property management, newbuild and renovation projects, and property development. The aim is to accumulate information so that nature values can be taken into account when planning different measures. The model for nature surveys used by Senate Group is freely available to the entire real estate sector.
New facility solutions, property sales and procurement development resulted in significant savings
We agreed with our clients on the implementation of 379 facility solution projects. The projects will deliver nearly €30 million in annual savings in the premises costs of government clients. Efficient and optimal use of facilities is also one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions, and makes sense from both an economic and environmental point of view.
Property sales were very successful despite a weak market, and we sold properties no longer required by the state for €96 million. By relinquishing premises that are no longer required, the capital tied up in them can be allocated to other central government needs.
Senate Group’s total procurements in 2024 totalled around €1,128 million. This makes the Group and its unincorporated state enterprises among the most significant public procurement organisations in Finland. Improvement in our procurement process helped us to achieve savings of around €89 million. We employed 14,300 full-time equivalents in terms of real estate and construction operators.
Focus on customer satisfaction and workplace wellbeing
Our customer satisfaction was at a good level, with 77% of clients satisfied with premises. Our employee survey resulted in us being awarded the Most Inspiring Workplace label for the 5th time.
Read more in our Corporate Social Responsibility Report and Annual Report
Senate Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility Report, which is also our annual report, has been published (in Finnish) at www.senaatti.fi/vastuullisuusraportti2024.
The report is a comprehensive description of 2024 for the Group’s unincorporated state enterprises, Senate Properties and Defence Properties Finland, from the economic, social and environmental responsibility aspects.
Senate Group’s 23rd Corporate Social Responsibility Report has been prepared in accordance with the GRI standard, and the numerical material in the report has been verified by a third party. We also report in accordance with UN Sustainable Development Goals, from which we have selected five key goals and subgoals for our operations.
Read more:
Senate Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility Report (in Finnish)
Senate Group’s financial statements 2024, release
Defence Properties Finland’s financial statements 2024, release
