2022 was no ordinary year. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the ongoing pandemic, to the global economic slowdown, to broken supply chains and climate change, businesses have had to adapt to new realities. Among them, Olivia Centre, a business centre managed by the Tonsa Group, summed up its ESG activities by once again publishing its annual report.

Responsible Construction: Adoption of WELL and BREEAM Certification

Olivia Centre is one of the few places in the world with WELL and BREEAM certification, proving the highest quality and environmental standards. But that’s not all – in 2022, Olivia Centre buildings renewed their WELL certificates, reaching the full pool of 25/25 points. In addition, Olivia Star has also received the final BREEAM certificate in the as-built phase, taking into account the arrangement of the lease space (Fully Fitted) with an Excellent grade.

Olivia Centre does not limit itself only to meeting the requirements of certification. Thanks to numerous upgrades and responsible operational decisions, the centre managed to reduce its water consumption by 33% and its greenhouse gas intensity by 21% last year.

Every hit is a point for the planet – circular paper economy

Olivia Centre is the first business centre in Poland to implement Tork PaperCircle – an innovative service for recycling used paper towels. Tork PaperCircle is the world’s first project to recycle recycled paper towels. Over the course of 8 months, more than 7 tonnes of paper towels were used in Olivia Centre… and they were all recovered! Thanks to the implementation of the program, the center has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 3,040 kg! This exorbitant amount of CO2 is equivalent to the amount that about 140 mature trees absorb in a year.

Stable business, engaged community

Olivia Centre actively supports the development of the local community. The Centre organises initiatives such as the “Oliwa Neighbourhood Budget”, allowing residents to submit ideas for social and infrastructure projects that can improve the quality of life in the Oliwa district. Olivia Centre covers the costs of selected projects, creating trust and building relationships with the local community.

The business centre reacted quickly to the Russian attack on Ukraine by organising aid for its affected neighbours. Supported by the Olivia Centre team, the city authorities made the premises available for a cost-free Take&Go store, one of the city’s three points of distribution of gifts for Ukrainians.

What’s next?

Olivia Centre plans to maintain its status as a comfortable space for work, rest, culture and social engagement. The Centre aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C by introducing further measures aimed not only at protecting the environment, but also at the health, safety and comfort of people – including future generations. We set high standards for ourselves and will strive to achieve climate neutrality by the end of 2045. – says Agata Kwapisiewicz, ESG Officer at Olivia Centre.

Reporting methodology

Although Olivia Centre is not obliged to publish an ESG report, it has decided to do so in order to communicate openly with stakeholders and indicate aspects related to care for the environment. The ESG report for 2022 was prepared in accordance with the international GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) standards, as well as referring to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Gdansk business centre is a great example of how ESG activities can be implemented in practice in business buildings. With its commitment to sustainable development, both in the environmental and social dimensions, Olivia Centre contributes to creating a future that is more responsible, resilient and sustainable.