GSE ITALIA STRENGTHENS ITS GROWTH TRAJECTORY IN 2021: A YEAR OF PROGRESS FOR THE ITALIAN BRANCH

GSE Italia, a subsidiary of the GSE Group that has been operating in Italy for 23 years, reported 2021 revenues of €123 million in an exceptional 14-month financial year designed to align its reporting calendar with that of its parent company Goldbeck, compared to €39 million achieved over the 12 months of 2020.

Despite the challenges of the period, 2021 was a year of significant progress for GSE Italia, which strengthened long-standing relationships with institutional investors, real estate developers and industrial operators already among its clients, while also expanding its customer base through agreements with SMEs and new clients in general.

Furthermore, with an order portfolio amounting to €202 million and a backlog of €209 million, prospects for further growth in the Italian market remain strong.

Commitment to human capital development These results were made possible thanks to the constant support of a multidisciplinary and rapidly growing team, which now consists of 91 employees, 41% of whom are women, marking growth of more than 100% over a 12-month period.

Promoting employee well-being has been a priority for GSE throughout the last financial year, through the renovation of its offices with multifunctional spaces designed to encourage interaction and teamwork, as well as a series of training programmes delivered to all employees for a total of 322 hours.

Projects as a vehicle for innovation, sustainability and urban regeneration Seven projects were delivered to companies that entrusted GSE Italia during the last financial year, a result achieved through dynamism and adaptability in responding to numerous challenges, including Covid-related disruptions, rising material costs, supply shortages and environmental issues.

Among the projects completed last year was a 13,000 sqm temperature-controlled warehouse in Milan, currently used by a leading food retail company. It represents a virtuous example of sustainable urban logistics, designed in dialogue with its urban environment thanks to the achievement of LEED Gold certification and the adoption of innovative solutions such as a green roof and acoustic barriers to reduce external noise. These measures enabled the redevelopment of a 22,308 sqm section of the city in full respect of the surrounding environment.

Only 173 days were required to complete an 8,015 sqm last-mile e-commerce logistics hub in the outskirts of Milan, an exceptional performance made possible by the dedication of the team and its trusted subcontractors.

Among the projects currently underway is the construction of a modern 120,000 sqm industrial facility in Boffalora Sopra Ticino (Milan). This major urban regeneration project, supported by extensive environmental remediation works, has enabled the recovery of a former industrial site exceeding 330,000 sqm along the Naviglio Grande canal. The new facility will include offices and multi-level automated warehouses, in compliance with the most demanding environmental sustainability and urban redevelopment standards, while fully respecting the site’s context and social heritage.

Construction has also recently begun on an e-commerce logistics warehouse in Orbassano (Turin), which will further raise the bar for environmental performance by aiming to become the first building in Italy to achieve Net Zero Carbon certification.

This brings the total area built by GSE Italia since its foundation to approximately 1.6 million square metres, contributing to the 18 million square metres developed by the GSE Group across Europe and China. Together, these projects demonstrate that growth can be achieved while respecting local communities and territories, reflecting GSE Italia’s commitment to using every project as an opportunity to implement meaningful actions in urban regeneration, energy efficiency, environmental sustainability and social development through an innovative, challenge-driven and responsible approach that responds to the expectations of society, clients and employees.

Environmental certifications and the strength of the CSR strategy Sustainability remains one of the cornerstones of GSE Italia’s development strategy. During the past year, the company achieved several environmental certifications, including 3 LEED Gold certifications and 1 BREEAM Excellent certification, while at Group level GSE obtained the EcoVadis Platinum certification. This recognition confirms the strength of GSE’s CSR performance and sustainable development strategy. It is the highest rating awarded by the agency and places GSE among the top 1% of performing companies out of more than 75,000 assessed worldwide, thanks to a score of 74/100 achieved in 2021 and improved to 79/100 in 2022.

Finally, GSE is also committed to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 17 objectives to be achieved by 2030 through concrete actions aimed at eradicating poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring that all people can live in peace and prosperity. GSE has identified seven priority SDGs that are most closely linked to its activities and through which it seeks to generate a positive, long-term impact: ensuring health and well-being, guaranteeing access to clean water and sanitation, promoting access to clean energy systems, encouraging decent work and economic growth, fostering responsible consumption and production, protecting terrestrial ecosystems, and contributing to a peaceful and inclusive society.