We foster Better Communities
Be a catalyst for growth within the communities in which we operate
We contribute to better cities, fully integrating our business activities with the local economy. Our activities generate lasting positive impact in the communities in which we operate by providing public facilities and building unique, iconic and well-connected places. From development stages to the daily run of our assets, we directly and indirectly support a large number of jobs in the areas where we operate. Looking beyond this, we actively generate outstanding social value in local communities through entrepreneurship support, and access to employment in partnership with local stakeholders.
Visit Better Places 2030 on urw.com for more details on the targets of this pillar.
Highlights from 2021
The COVID-19 crisis outlined the importance of this social and economic mission. The Group assets demonstrated new ways to support their communities, fighting and preventing the spread of the virus, strengthening local cohesion, or protecting the most vulnerable. In addition to our pandemic response, we also actively integrated responsible consumption alternatives and solutions for our visitors.
vaccinations administered at URW assets
local people hired or entered a certifying training course via URW for Jobs
of Flagships supported at least one local charity
Community resilience
In 2021, as part of Better Places 2030, URW undertook a new commitment to generate €20Mn of social value through its community-oriented programmes by the end of the year. This new target builds on the 2020 achievement of the Group’s commitment towards local communities to ensure 100% of its owned and managed assets have a Community Resilience Action Plan.
These action plans have been updated in 2021 and aim at enhancing the resilience of communities in which the Group operates, thanks to a structured “glocal” approach, ensuring the implementation of the most relevant strategies according to the needs of local areas. The new target allows URW to measure and focus on the impact generated and marks a step ahead in our support to the local communities, as the Group achieved €20Mn of social value generated in 2021.
Responsible consumption
URW leverages the high number of visitors it hosts each year. This attractiveness gives URW a unique opportunity to support more responsible consumption patterns and the development of desirable sustainable consumption alternatives. Therefore, the Group committed to support and promote at least one sustainable consumption initiative in all its Flagship assets by 2022 and collaborate with tenants to increase transparency of brands on health and sustainability, while expanding healthy and sustainable alternatives in 100% of its Flagship assets by 2025.
URW actively integrated responsible consumption alternatives during the year by welcoming new second-hand stores (e.g., Beyond Retro in the UK and Sweden), sustainable or and inclusive brands such as Allbirds, Reformation (US) and the opening of Café Joyeux (coffee shops that train and employ people with learning disabilities) in Westfield Parly 2. The Group also provided consumers with sustainable solutions through its partnership with Too Good To Go. Following deployment in Europe in 2020, the partnership with anti-food waste company “Too Good to Go” was launched in the US. Overall, more than 242,000 meals were saved in URW assets across Europe and the US in 2021. The Group also put into place solutions to collect pre-used fashion such as The Second Life in Westfield Forum des Halles in France.
