MERLIN Properties Annual Report 2022

80 | Annual report | 2022 Environmental management and climate change systems As it is responsible for the management of its portfolios, MERLIN has implemented an Integrated Management System (IMS) that includes the Environmental Management System and the Energy Management System. The IMS is certified under the reference standards UNE-EN ISO 14001:2015 for the Environmental Management System and UNE-EN ISO 50001:2018 for the Energy Management System. The Environmental Management System implemented allows the environmental performance of its activity to be controlled, thus ensuring that it has a system in place to identify and comply with all applicable legal requirements of an environmental nature, and to identify and manage the associated environmental risks, demonstrating its commitment to the ongoing improvement of its environmental performance. The Energy Management System allows the Company to improve energy efficiency, reduce consumption, improve operations and activities, and reduce emissions, demonstrating its commitment to the ongoing improvement of its energy performance and efficiency. Thus, in 2015 the Company began an ambitious plan for ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 50001 (energy management) certifications to maintain and expand the number of real estate assets that have at least ISO 14001 certification, and subsequently ISO 50001 certification (based on the understanding that it is a natural step to obtain ISO 14001 certification before aspiring to ISO 50001). This plan includes office buildings, shopping centres and logistics warehouses. In 2022, 89 buildings comprising a surface area of 1,211,745 sqm were certified under ISO 14001, 6 more buildings than in 2021. The Group also continued the process of implementing an Energy Management System under the ISO 50001 standard, which began in 2017. Currently, 84 buildings are certified comprising a surface area of 1,151,751, 5 more than in 2021. The target for the assets included in the Energy Management System certified under ISO 50001 is to reduce energy consumption by 8% compared to the figure recorded in 2021 (96.71 kWh/sqm occupied), based on the implementation of ESMs (energy saving measures). The Group adheres to the precautionary principle through the Environmental Management System, which identifies the most significant environmental impacts of its activities and establishes the mechanisms necessary to identify, assess and control these impacts. The Group allocates 8.11 FTEs (3.12% workforce) to environmental risk prevention, considering the dedication of the governing bodies, senior management, and prevention and management teams. With regard to cover for potential environmental risks, the Group has third- party liability insurance that expressly covers any third-party liability arising from contamination or pollution of the atmosphere, soil or water, provided that these harmful actions occurred as a result of an accidental, sudden, unforeseeable, unexpected and unintentional cause. This insurance also covers the costs of removal, cleaning or disposal of contaminating substances for which MERLIN is legally liable due to contamination of third-party sites or facilities. In 2022, following an analysis, the Group did not consider it necessary to make provisions for potential environmental risks.