S4 – Consumers and end-users

Peab and consumers and end-users

Positive impacts / opportunities

Negative impacts / risks

Every day people in the Nordic region meet and use what Peab has built or maintains. This may be anything from homes, offices, schools or hospitals that we have built to roads we have paved or parks we tend. In addition to these end-users Peab has consumers in housing developments and commercial property, even though we are not the long-term owner of our own development projects. The consumers in housing developments are private persons that choose to live in the property we develop while customers in the commercial property developments are organizations that are tenants.

Peab delivering according to our obligations to customers is essential for long-term sustainable business. In addition to meeting customers’ needs and demands it is important that we can safeguard and benefit from the interests and needs of consumers and end-users. Peab wants to be on the cutting edge of development in the products and services we offer.

Regarding consumers and end-users Peab’s impact is material in the two sustainability topics personal security for consumers and/or end-users and social inclusion of consumers and/or end-users. Not all the sub-topics are assessed material for Peab in the latter category, only non-discrimination and access to products and services.

Below are examples of activities regarding consumers and end-users that have or can have an impact:

Downstream:

We continually make inspections and quality controls of what we build.

We make conscious material choices, promote energy efficiency and take end-users into consideration in other ways when we build.

We present mechanisms for consumers and end-users to report desires, complaints or any kind of incidents anonymously and safely.

Consumers and end-users are linked to the UN’s 11th global goal for sustainable development: Sustainable cities and communities.

Process regarding materiality

We have conducted a double materiality assessment for S4, consumers and end-users, on Group level. The assessment of Peab’s impacts, risks and opportunities in relation to consumers and end-users has primarily been conducted by Peab’s technical specialists from our support functions as well as a number of employees from other Group functions. This has taken place through meetings and workshops where we have compiled and evaluated Peab’s sustainability matters in all the S4 sustainability topics according to the template we produced. The outcome has been complied and resulted in the material sustainability topics for Peab. The function non-financial reporting has coordinated the process regarding materiality, which has been conducted as described in the section ESRS 2 on page 49.

This is how we work

Our work and the responsibility we take in consumers and end-users is primarily regulated by Nordic legislation and trade agreements. Our work is supported by also complying with international guidelines, norms and initiatives: UN Global Compact, UN’s Human Rights Declaration, UN’s Global Goals, OECD’s Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP), the general principles in the international regulations for human rights and The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and its recommendations. Our policies and guidelines conform to these commitments.

Responsibility and policies

Our foundation is our core values of down-to-earth, developing, personal and reliable as well as our Code of Conduct that help us build our culture and guide us in our business. Peab has two policies in particular that affect consumers and end-users and processes to involve them in matters concerning impacts: The Quality Policy and the Information Security Policy. The Quality Policy states that as a community builder Peab takes responsibility for the quality of our products and services. The goal of our quality work is that our end products are high quality and provide good references for future business. We work preventatively and long lasting with quality as an integrated part of our daily operations. In accordance with the Information Security Policy we must manage information properly. This comprises all security concerning Peab’s total information management with both organizational measures and physical and logistical protection measures. Customers, consumers and other stakeholders must feel safe in the knowledge that we securely and efficiently supply and manage information.

The responsibility begins with executive management and goes via line managers out to every workplace and project where the primary dialogue with consumers and end-users is held. This requires well-defined procedures for both assessment, avoidance and management of risks as well as collaboration and transparency.

Work methods and focus areas

Peab’s process of due diligence serves us well regarding consumers and end-users. It describes how we identify and assess potential negative impacts on humans and the environment and actively work to avoid or minimize them. Read more about the guidelines on the process of due diligence on pages 39-40.

When we build homes, schools, swimming pool facilities and hospitals or infrastructure and courtyards we always bring in the perspective of the people who will spend time there. In order to manage material negative impacts and promote positive effects for consumers and end-users we maintain a continuous dialogue with these stakeholder groups in different forms such as local consultation meetings and periodic customer surveys. This provides us with a basis for priorities in our business and the various projects and jobs we work with.

In addition, we monitor a number of other customer-related metrics like guarantee and complaint costs that also affect consumers and end-users. Before we begin working with a customer we do meticulous studies and investigations into all their requirements, which normally also reflect demands from consumers and end-users, and our ability to meet them. For example, we have a Procurement Council that is tasked with producing an offer that has been thoroughly vetted and is fairly presented, which reduces the level of risk for Peab, our customer and thereby consumers and end-users as well.

Personal security for consumers and/or end-users

We have well-defined procedures for product choices in our construction projects based on safety and health perspectives. It is very important to have hazardous and dangerous substances such as different kinds of chemicals under control. Read more about this work under ESRS E2, pollution, on pages 60-61.

We have a third party certificate for many of our construction products such as ECO-Betong (ECO-Concrete), ECO-Stomme (ECO-Frame) and ECO-Asfalt, according to an Environmental product declaration (EPD), which describes the product’s environmental impact over its entire lifecycle. An EPD consists of a product data sheet, method choice and the result of the assessment of environmental impact.

We comply with relevant security standards like CE labeling when installing equipment.

When we design traffic solutions like roads or residential areas we work with safety and health aspects to reduce the risks in these areas. Our basic premise is to build safe and secure communities where people can thrive and live their lives. This entails everything from reducing the risks for violence, harassment and other forms of threatening situations to building in safeguards in the form railings and fences as well as surveillance systems.

We also have a child and youth perspective in our projects, particularly in our own housing developments. We explicitly consider children’s rights in society, according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which is also Swedish law. When we design residential environments we strive to provide for children’s rights throughout the entire process. Being able to go home safely from school, equipping places with lighting and physical protection constructions are just such consideration. Through Peab Life we also carry out concrete, local projects with children and youths and regularly visit schools to talk about Peab’s operations and the community building industry. In some projects students provide suggestions with their desires for the places we build. By making it possible for them to participate in local building projects we want to build away inequalities and contribute to greater diversity, inclusion and participation.

Information security is part of our work concerning personal security for consumers and/or end-users. We always consider information security in what we build. We work systematically and long lasting based on aspects such as that information and other resources must be protected from unauthorized access and that information is correct and traceable.

Social inclusion of consumers and/or end-users

We never accept any form of social exclusion. In order to deliver accessible products and not infringe on anyone’s fundamental rights we follow international, national and industry specific procedures and standards. The reference book “Bygg ikapp” is one example that guides us in building accessibly among other programs for building safe and accessibly. We follow consultation processes and participate in local dialogues, including ones with minority groups. We make sure to build residential and public environments that allow all consumers and end-users, including ones with disabilities, equal access to our products and services. This requires adopting physical places for good accessibility, for example with ramps and elevators.

Through continual dialogues with relevant departments in municipalities where the local community contributes, Peab plays an important role in designing sustainable, vibrant and inclusive communities. We participate in processes for developing comprehensive plans together with municipalities and other developers. In collaboration with local communities we contribute to planning green areas, meeting places and accessibility to service facilities.

Communication channels

Consumers and end-users can contact Peab with their questions or viewpoints that might, for example, concern dissatisfaction or incidents by calling us or via Peab’s various websites. They can also make direct contact through Peab’s many local offices and operations.

Business area Project Development has their own customer service where private homebuyers can contact Peab with their questions.

Peab also has a whistleblower system available to all external parties. The whistleblower channel allows reporting anonymously and all cases that come in are managed according to the same documented process. Read more about Peab’s whistleblower system on pages 102-103.

For information on how consumers and end-users can reach us, regardless of the matter, see:
https://www.peab.com/contact/