With the “Better Places Certification,” Westfield Shopping City Süd is taking the next major step in its sustainability efforts.
Austria's largest and most diverse shopping center has been awarded the "Better Places Certification," the first comprehensive sustainability standard for shopping centers that also covers ecological and social aspects. The certification was developed under the leadership of Bureau Veritas Solutions – the globally recognized leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services – and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) France. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, operator and owner of Westfield Shopping City Süd, introduced this standard to evaluate the sustainability measures and social initiatives of its shopping centers.
The certification is based on industry-standard assessments such as BREEAM In-Use and energy performance indicators, and covers eight additional ecological and social categories: water consumption, biodiversity, energy and climate, waste management, mobility, health, safety and comfort, sustainable consumption, and local projects and initiatives. To achieve its ambitious sustainability goals, Westfield Shopping City Süd has successfully implemented a large number of projects and launched new ones in recent years. More than €7.5 million was invested in photovoltaics alone. "Westfield Shopping City Süd is one of the group's top assets and an innovation leader in many areas. Especially in terms of sustainability, the center is known far beyond Austria's borders as an industry pioneer. With this certification, another milestone has now been reached, and the next major sustainability projects in the area of mobility are already being planned," says Paul Douay, Managing Director Asset Management Central Europe at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield.
"The award of the Better Places certificate is another milestone in Westfield Shopping City Süd's sustainability strategy. We are delighted to once again assume an industry-wide pioneering role in sustainability. This is also the result of the excellent work of our teams, who have implemented outstanding projects in the fields of photovoltaics and energy and water consumption management in the past," said Zsolt Juhasz, General Manager of Westfield Shopping City Süd.
High-profile guests discussed the real estate industry’s contribution to achieving climate goals
During the award ceremony, Westfield Shopping City Süd invited representatives from politics, business, science, and administration to the Westfield SCS Multiplex for an exchange of ideas. Guest of honor, Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, emphasized the supra-regional importance of Westfield Shopping City Süd for Lower Austria as a business location and highlighted the numerous sustainability efforts, such as those in the field of photovoltaics: "Sustainability, environmental protection, and successful business are not contradictory, but go hand in hand here in Lower Austria, as the SCS demonstrates in an exemplary manner. Now we must do everything in our power to restore economic recovery, including by finally clearing the bureaucratic thicket in Austria and Europe. I am convinced that this will also restore confidence, and people will invest and consume more again, which ultimately benefits not only trade but the entire economic cycle."
State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner emphasized the center's pioneering role: "The award of the "Better Places" certificate to Westfield Shopping City Süd impressively demonstrates that sustainability can be both a driver of innovation and an economic force. Large shopping centers like SCS in particular demonstrate that ecological progress and economic success are not mutually exclusive, but can go hand in hand. We need such flagship projects to position Austria as a pioneer of a green, competitive economic and energy policy."
Other guests of honor included Frédéric Joureau, First Counselor of the French Embassy in Vienna, Marlene Zeidler-Beck, Member of the State Parliament, and Birgit Petross, Mayor of Vösendorf. Following the event, a high-profile panel featuring Günther Artner, Head of Commercial Real Estate at ERSTE Group; Birgit Kraml, Partner at DLA Piper and Chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI); Carmen Dilch, Academic Expert & Lecturer at FHWien der WKW; and Paul Douay (URW) discussed the role of the real estate industry in achieving climate goals and how this agenda can be pursued despite economically challenging times.
Background Better Places Certification
The Better Places certification was developed with the support of Bureau Veritas Solutions – the globally recognized leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services – and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) France and is part of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield's Better Places sustainability roadmap. The Better Places strategy is a comprehensive plan that includes science-based targets to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 and 2050, as well as commitments to supporting the region and local economies and creating a sustainable visitor experience.
About Westfield Shopping City South
Westfield Shopping City Süd, Austria's largest shopping center, is located in the south of Vienna, directly at Central Europe's most important transport hub. With a sales area of 198,500 square meters, 330 shops, a total length of 1.6 km of continuously walkable space, 5,000 employees, and 20.4 million visitors per year, Westfield Shopping City Süd is now one of the largest shopping centers in Europe and one of the largest employers in Lower Austria. Since 2011, Westfield Shopping City Süd has been a member of Climate Alliance Austria and, as part of the group-wide sustainability initiative "Better Places 2030," sets new standards in sustainability and environmental protection every year (including the largest photovoltaic system at a shopping center in Europe in 2021). In addition to Westfield Shopping City Süd, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield also owns and operates Westfield Donau Zentrum, Vienna's largest shopping center. Further information is available at at.westfield.com/scs.