ESG Report

Our Environmental, Social and Governance policies

This first ESG report summarises Democo Group’s policy choices and standards implemented to date in the areas of local surroundings and the environment, social policy and good governance. The aim is to take stock of where we are today and lay a solid foundation on which to build for the future. In other words, it is as much a reflection of efforts made as a steppingstone for our ambitions in the years to come.

We have developed this ESG strategy with the input and hard work of our employees, managers, board members and external partners. I sincerely thank them for this, not only because people are the driving force behind our company’s success, but also because they form the focus of our ESG exercise. In fact, they are the reason we want to be part of the next generation of businesses with a sustainable mindset focused on ecosystems, communities and resources. It is about taking responsibility towards our employees, their families, our suppliers and customers, our communities and future generations.

This document is intended as a guide to our policies, rules and standards in the context of our ethical values and perspectives. Given that our group consists of seven companies and 800 employees, this document can only summarise our goals and views. However, when necessary, it will direct the reader to more comprehensive internal documents, contacts, or sources. The report follows the familiar three-pillar structure: Environment, Social and Governance.

The Environment section discusses our views on sustainability, how we monitor and limit our environmental impact, and what ethical and economic principles we have defined to deal with it. As one of the major players in the Belgian construction sector, we aim to assume a clear leadership role by reducing our footprint and helping our customers and partners do the same.

In the Social section, we discuss our views, mission, and values and how we convert them into responsible and sincere policies for our employees, clients and supply chain partners. Safety, respect and engagement are the key drivers to create an environment where our people can fulfil their potential. This ties in with our ambition to be the best employer in the construction sector.

In the Governance section, we summarise our policy and governance structure, our HR policies and aspects of compliance and transparency. This is the framework within which we can sustainably configure and steer the previous elements to achieve our corporate standards in the long term and continue to aim higher.

As mentioned, this first ESG report summarises our current policy on these topics but is primarily a starting point for further development. Many people at Democo Group are constantly working in a changing society to continue improving and raising the bar higher than yesterday. I sincerely hope this report will further encourage and strengthen them in this regard.