Location: Belgium
Benchmark User

CIRIL

As a real estate developer, CIRIL develops what can be improved, where cities can grow and people feel at home. We talk to people and ask what could be better. We give streets and city districts new opportunities for the future. We add what is missing and take away what is too much for a liveable, fun and sustainable city.

We recognize the crucial role every business must play in creating a Future-Fit Society – one that is environmentally restorative, socially just and economically inclusive – and we are committed to playing our part. We aspire to become a Future-Fit Business because we believe that our long-term success is tied to the value we provide to society. That means we must eliminate all of the potential negative impacts associated with what we buy, create, and sell.

In the real estate construction and development business, most of the buildings developed today rely on activities that have a huge negative environmental impact in the upstream value chain. During the production of traditional construction materials large amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted, thus contributing to climate change. Also, many materials are responsible for an important abiotic depletion potential as non-renewable raw materials (minerals and fossil fuels) are extracted in order to be used in construction materials. Our industry also faces important challenges regarding to circular economy. Buildings will need to become circular: adaptable – versatile, convertible and expandable – to meet multiple purposes and designed for disassembly so that construction materials and components can be kept at their highest utility and value, at all times. These are industry-wide challenges and we commit to doing everything possible to tackle them.

In addition, we will seek to create positive impact wherever we can, to speed up society’s transition to future-fitness through our own actions and by assisting others on the journey.

In particular, our real estate development projects aim to improve the sustainability of our cities and communities, in general, and the quality of life of our stakeholders, the residents of our projects and their direct and indirect neighbourhoods, in particular. We are building value to live, work and play. We develop what can be improved, where cities can grow and people feel at home.

We acknowledge that incremental improvement of the status quo isn’t enough, so we intend to transform the way we do things. We will lead by example and encourage other businesses to do the same.