Since 2004, URW has been a member of the UNGC, which promotes ethical conduct and fundamental moral values in business. URW strives to adopt, support and apply in its sphere of influence the 10 principles of the UNGC concerning human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. URW complies with the respective Australian and UK Modern Slavery Acts. As clearly outlined in its UK and Group Modern Slavery Statements (see www.urw.com), URW strictly prohibits any form of forced labour or child labour in any part of its business operations or supply chain, with dedicated due diligence mechanisms. Regular audits and continuous improvement efforts across the Group’s supply chain demonstrate indeed URW’s dedication to transparency and ethical labour practices.

As explained in the Group Health & Safety Statement, H&S is prioritised and integrated into all aspects of the Company’s planning and operations. To this end, URW continually strives to promote a culture of wellness, achieve regulatory compliance and improve existing practices. URW’s commitment to H&S is reflected in various robust initiatives including the access to physical and mental wellness programmes and healthcare resources for employees, as well as information and training to empower and educate employees at all levels regarding H&S. More targeted measures also exist at local levels, such as occupational health (medical examinations of employees in accordance with legal requirements) and an anonymous and free psychological helpline. The Group pursued its risk prevention training strategy in 2023, with a focus on “HR management” training. These sessions raise new managers’ awareness of collaborative management and of internal HR processes. These sessions are provided by the HR team and aim to develop a common learning culture. Training on psychosocial risks have also been provided to new managers throughout the year.

The Group stands for a fair overall outcome that rewards individual and collective performance and does not discriminate on race, gender, nationality or any other personal criteria. Diversity and inclusion forms a key part of the Group’s Better Places roadmap. With representation in 13 countries and 2 continents, URW welcomes employees from different parts of the world, from diverse cultures and backgrounds to build successful and inclusive teams. URW commits to ensuring full equal opportunities in HR practices and processes Group-wide. This target has been achieved as 100% of URW regions ensure full equal opportunities in their HR practices and processes since 2019 by having the URW Equal Opportunity Statement included in formalised HR policies relating to recruitment practices, compensation and benefits, talent reviews and career development. The URW Equal Opportunity Statement ensures that the HR policy and processes are applied without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, national or ethnic origin, military service status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics.

The URW Equal Opportunity Statement ensures that the HR policy and processes are applied without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, national or ethnic origin, military service status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics.

The Group’s Diversity & Inclusion framework – Be You at URW – is embedded through the Be You at URW Charter, signed by all MB and EC members, which includes a commitment to have 40% or more of senior positions occupied by women by 2025, and Diversity & Inclusion objectives in the STI and LTI plans for all MB and EC members. In 2023, the Group progressed towards its gender diversity goals, with 42.5% share of women in senior roles in 2023 compared to 39% in 2022.

The Group Employee Pulse Survey was again rolled out to all employees in 2023, including a focus and measure on Diversity & Inclusion. 80% of employees participated in the survey, with approximately 70% of respondents indicating positive sentiment toward URW’s commitment to diversity and creating an environment of inclusion. A Group survey is rolled out each year to check in with the global employee community and help shape effective plans to create an even more inclusive working culture. Group and regional 2023 achievements across the 4 pillars of the Be You at URW framework are outlined below:

1. LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT
   • URW confirmed its long-term commitment to maintain a minimum of 40% female leaders as part of its accelerated sustainability vision “Better Places”. In 2023, women represented 56.5% of new senior leaders; significant progress which contributed to the number of women in top management increasing from 25% in 2022 to 42.5% in 2023.
   • The United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (“UN WEPs”) CEO Statement was signed, demonstrating a public commitment to continue prioritising gender equality at URW.
   • In 2023, URW rolled-out a Human Rights Policy to formalise and reinforce the Group’s commitment to international human rights and labour standards. It serves as a set of guarantees and guiding framework for its employees.
   • Sustainability and Diversity & Inclusion objectives are in place for the MB and EC in 2023, 10% of STI and 20% of LTI.
   • URW’s CEO participated in the #TakeMySeat campaign, created by SISTA and UN Women France, designed to increase the visibility of women working in the tech world;
   • A European Diversity Charter has been promoted throughout the Group since 2012 to fight all forms of discrimination and harassment;
   • URW is a signatory of the #StOpE initiative to raise awareness against sexism within companies;
   • URW in France is a signatory of the Manifesto for the inclusion of disabled people into economic life, and partners with Tremplin and Arpejeh to support young people with disabilities;
   • A Group-level, long-term partnership is in place with LGBTQIA+ inclusion charity Stonewall;
   • Commitments in the UK with Real Estate Balance and the Race at Work Charter to support gender and racial equality in the workplace; and
   • Dutch Diversity Charter signatory in The Netherlands.

The Group also organised various meetings on different topics with the Social and Economic Committee (in France), and the trade union organisations representing each region. This year staff representatives have been closely involved in decisions relating to the Group’s activity and the work organisation especially on well-being, digitalisation and purchasing power. A total of 41 agreements are currently signed or in force with trade unions in France (including Viparis). These agreements cover a variety of topics such as gender equality, senior and youth employment, working time flexibility and mandatory annual collective bargaining. As of December 31, 2023, 50% of employees were covered by a collective agreement. Various meetings are organised by the Group with the works councils and trade unions (there are variations at local levels according in some cases to the different applicable local regulations). Viparis also nurtures a regular and open dialogue with its Social and Economic Committee regarding Viparis’ strategy, economic and financial situation, social policy, working conditions and employment. To get regular feedback, Viparis employees are consulted through surveys on recurring themes (autonomy, peer relations, management support, commitment, workload, recognition, freedom of opinion) as well as on an ad hoc basis (crisis recovery).

The Group largely enhanced its career and development planning processes thanks to succession planning and the People Performance Programme:

• Individual Sustainability Objectives
  • The Group has committed to 100% of employees URW employees to have at least one annual sustainable business transformation objective to help make all employees accountable for the collective success of the sustainability ambition. In 2023, 99% of Group employees set at least one sustainable business transformation objective; integrated as part of the objectives used to determine their annual Short-Term Incentive. Appropriate initiatives and targets aligned with Better Places were implemented within each department within the Group: Investment, Development, Finance, Operations, Technical Management, Marketing, Leasing, Legal and Human Resources. A collective target is defined and the information about sustainability targets is shared with URW employees Group-wide.

In line with recognising the importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) governance, URW has a decision-maker at MB level accountable for DEI. Senior decision-makers are informed of URW’s diversity and inclusion performance through frequent progress meetings and annual DEI updates to the GRNC and SB. In every region where URW operates, active Be You at URW Networks help to strengthen the focus on diversity and inclusion by organising and delivering activities to raise awareness on diversity and champion inclusive actions, behaviours and mindsets.

In 2023, the Group organised its second global Learning Week, which included an opportunity for employees to deepen their understanding of sustainable urban regeneration with a keynote hosted by an external expert and urban strategy leader; approximately 250 employees participated. Regional Learning Week initiatives included trainings to highlight the impact of carbon emissions on key departments, such as mobility and digital trends. In September 2023, URW hosted a Leadership Working Session for the Group’s senior manager population. This full day event was dedicated to a deep-dive into URW’s accelerated Better Places roadmap, with a focus on the Better Places certification, Sustainable Retail Index, social impact and carbon neutrality. The programme is being replicated in every country, for all employees. In 2023, 683 employees participated in a 1-day “Building Tomorrow Together” sustainable roadshow.