Impact on environment and stakeholders

SATOhomes offer safety and security

SATO is a reliable and professional long-term lessor. Our broad range of rental apartments serves our customers in their changing situations and enables life-long housing solutions. We monitor the level of customer experience in service quality in different situations and aim to engage our customers in cooperation to improve the enjoyment of our residents. With regard to rental relationships, we comply with the Good rental practice guideline prepared in cooperation between Finnish Tenants, the Finnish Landlord Association, the Finnish Real Estate Federation and RAKLI, the Finnish Association of Building Owners and Construction Clients.

We are providing homes to approximately 46,000 people who we take care of every day, together with our cooperation network. To understand the needs of our customers, we analyse trends and what our customers value in order to develop our services and to expand our service range accordingly. In addition, to help our residents facing temporary difficulties, we have a team of specialists called 'Asumisneuvoja' to assist these residents.

We use personal data and information about payment behaviour covered by privacy protection in our customer accounts, and therefore, we take extra care in handling all information. We have appointed individuals who handle customer data in accordance with the purpose of use indicated beforehand. Furthermore, we have internal guidelines on data privacy.

We communicate openly and speak boldly, also about difficult matters, in order to improve the customer experience. One active resident is recognised as the Customer of the Year.

Meaningful work

Competent employees committed to common goals play an important part in our ability to reach our objectives. Meaningful work, combined with an open and inspiring corporate culture and wellbeing at work, are directly reflected in the customer experience, and vice versa. We monitor our employee satisfaction through a personnel satisfaction survey and performance appraisals.

Our Code of Conduct defines the actions of our company and our personnel.

Work for the supply chain

SATO's business model is based on a large network of suppliers. The employment impact of our network is approximately 2,900 person work years (2021). In 2016, we developed the evaluation of our employment impact to cover all investments, maintenance and upkeep services, as well as other purchased services. In addition to the direct employment impact, the evaluation focused on other indirect impacts. For example, the indirect impacts of construction and renovations on the construction industry and building services were evaluated in addition to the direct impact of construction sites.

We select suppliers that are able to produce value and good customer experiences to our customers. We make sure that each supplier has a sufficient capacity and capability to achieve quality and schedule goals, with the right kind of service attitude. Sustainable operating methods in terms of the working environment, safety and the environment are key factors. To prevent the grey economy, we only accept companies registered in the tilaajavastuu.fi (reliable partner) service as our service providers.

Occupational safety on the work sites of buildings and renovation sites commissioned by SATO is primarily the contractors’ responsibility, which we, however, develop together with the contractors. We monitor compliance with occupational safety practices and we keep track of the accident frequency rate. We aim for zero accidents

Respecting the environment

Investments in new buildings are usually made close to good transportation routes to reduce the environmental load during the use of these buildings. We are continuously monitoring energy consumption in our properties in order to identify any possibilities to reduce consumption and to launch necessary measures.

We are members of Green Building Council Finland and actively involved in its various committees. We are also part of the City of Helsinki’s Climate Partners network.

Transparent reporting and responsible risk management

We want to be a competitive and sustainable investment object to investors. We communicate and report our operations transparently in accordance with international accounting standards and the corporate governance of listed Finnish companies, and prepare our sustainability reports in accordance with the GRI framework. We participated in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) for the seventh time in 2021, receiving three stars out of five. In the GRESB assessment, SATO’s strengths were risk management, resident satisfaction and communality, stakeholder engagement, and comprehensive monitoring and transparent operating principles and reporting.

The goal of our risk management is to ensure operational continuity as well as achieving SATO’s strategic and financial aims. The highest responsibility for risk management is held by our Board of Directors, which decides on the targets for risk management and monitors the main risks. Risk management is part of SATO’s strategy process, operational management and business processes.

In 2021, we drew up a climate scenario analysis in line with the TCFD framework on climate risks and opportunities in the two- and four-degree options.

For the good of society

We took part in the development of housing and the real estate industry in various associations. SATO is represented in the Board of Directors, the executive group of housing and many committees of RAKLI. SATO is also represented in the Boards of Directors of Suomen Asuntoliitto ry (Finnish Housing Association) and Asuntoreformiyhdistys ry (Finnish Housing Reform Association). Being a member of the Helsinki region chamber of commerce and being represented in its various bodies, SATO is identifying the needs of business life in the Helsinki metropolitan area for housing and is involved in the improvement of construction preconditions for new rental apartments.

We are a member of and the FIBS network for corporate social responsibility, and we act against the shadow economy.

SATO makes an annual Christmas donation to a selected destination - mainly to support children or families or the homeless.