Satocan launches an ambitious sustainability program that will involve all units and people in the company
Satocan, with a presence in the main sectors of the Canary Islands, shows its commitment to the islands with a project that encompasses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Living in the Canary Islands is a privilege. One of the most visited places in the world for its climate, culture, landscapes and its coast, among many other things that can be enjoyed every day on any of the islands. And conserving an environment that is as unique as it is vulnerable forces us to adopt a particularly sensitive attitude towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We must be an example for other destinations, cities, regions and countries. Aware of something as obvious as it is critical, Satocan has decided to launch a program of sustainable initiatives (ESG) that will be directed by the newly created Sustainability Unit, which will help promote projects aligned with the SDGs in all its business areas.
Satocan, with almost 40 years of history, has always stood out for its diversification, for its firm commitment to new projects, for innovation and for focusing its efforts on growing in the Canary Islands. Like many other Canarian companies, they have already been taking "sustainable" steps that have given them clues about what society demands and what our islands demand: let's take care of our environment in the broadest sense of the word.
The initiatives that have been approved and are in different phases of implementation include environmental, social and governance measures, known by the acronym ESG. Satocan has carried out an internal audit to assess the starting point, what initiatives had already been activated in the past and assess whether the path traveled had been the correct one versus what initiatives had to be activated to achieve the goal of becoming an organization that not only minimizes its daily impact but contributes to a positive impact. Isabel Schmunkamp, head of the Sustainability Unit, puts the project in context: «the conclusion we have drawn is that we had taken many steps naturally and this offers us a very exciting starting point. However, we have Satocan's most ambitious challenge ahead of us. A project that affects all areas and is made up of more than 80 initiatives that will improve our daily lives in terms of efficiency, health and decision-making. It is the best way to confirm our commitment to the Canary Islands.”
The project will have different phases and they estimate that during the next 2 years they will be able to implement all the initiatives that have already been defined and many others that arise because, as Irene Valle, the Group's training manager and member of the Sustainability Unit, says, «Learning is continuous and we will be very attentive to the best practices of other companies, to the regulation and to the creativity of our team, of the entire team.
From the first moment, we are clear that it is a project open to participation and that we all have the ability to add.”
The almost 1,000 people who make up Satocan are already part of the company's ESG plan. In areas such as tourism, they have already received certifications and awards such as the Travelife Gold in all their hotels, which certifies the practices and resources used to improve the environmental, economic and social effects of the establishments. The Satocan Construction team has managed to calculate the carbon footprint generated by its interventions in different projects throughout the islands and they are already part of MITECO, of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, with the firm commitment to reduce their footprint and that this be officially controlled, something that has already happened that makes the construction area have the footprint record from 2019 to 2021. And recently, one of the companies managed by the Business Development unit, Algalimento, has received the Blue Economy award in the Canary Islands Awards for Sustainable Economy, highlighting its highly innovative character, its excellence, and being an outstanding example of research applied to the needs of the business fabric and of Canarian society. Obtaining awards, recognitions and certifications is the objective of many companies, but the Group has had a singularity, it has been its ability to diversify, which means that today it is present in different sectors and, therefore, that its ESG initiatives have an impact on key economic categories. for the Canary Islands, such as construction, industrial or business development and real estate, where they manage different real estate assets. Among others, new wind farms with which to reach the generation of 19.9 MW that are being built in Pozo Izquierdo, El Castillo del Romeral and El Matorral, and that will see the light, ending in 2022. The Satocan energy parks will produce energy clean enough to supply almost 5,000 homes a year. And this is very good news for the islands. Because living here is a privilege and having the opportunity to work taking care of our environment, too.
