Internațional

The ESG report of CCE Holding for the year 2024 was published in July. On this occasion, we spoke with the Head of ESG Cederik Engel & ESG Manager Joshua Kannampuzha and asked them to highlight the key achievements and milestones for us:

What were the most significant environmental initiatives or successes of the company in 2024 and how were their impacts measured?

In 2024, we expanded our energy capacity to approximately 6 GWp. This enabled us to generate over 186,770 MWh of renewable electricity and avoid more than 94.8 tons of CO₂ emissions. To illustrate this concretely with three project highlights:

• The Marknesse solar park, for example, combines clean energy production with ecological responsibility. The site features a landscape plan focused on biodiversity, including native trees and shrubs. This supports local wildlife and integrates the park naturally into its surroundings.

• The Santa Lucia project in Italy protects the ancient, native olive variety Canino. Some trees were carefully relocated, and additional trees were planted to strengthen the grove.

• At the Vlaamsweg project, beekeeping is successfully integrated into the local solar park through collaboration with local partners. This project has achieved a net increase of an impressive 25% in biodiversity.

How does CCE Holding plan to reduce its carbon footprint or improve energy efficiency in the next reporting period?

In 2024, CCE made significant progress towards the Net Zero goal by conducting its first integrated Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) assessment across all operational sites and PV plants in Europe. CCE's Net Zero journey is based on the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard. Our goals are concrete:

• 50% reduction in project-specific greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (base year: 2024)

• 100% use of renewable energy in operations by 2030

• Net Zero across all operations by 2040. To achieve these goals, CCE is implementing measures at the office level, including leasing/refurbishing electronic devices, electrifying the vehicle fleet, and promoting train travel for journeys under 400 km. At the PV plant level, measures have been identified that include design for recyclability and circular economy, sourcing modules from manufacturers using recycled materials or green energy, and minimizing land use impact by focusing on previously developed land sources.

What progress was made in 2024 in promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion within the company?

CCE is proud to represent a diverse team of 27 nationalities, with women making up around 30% of our workforce by the end of 2024. Diversity, equality, and inclusion are central to our culture. Our goal is a gender-balanced workforce by 2030, with 40% women in leadership positions by 2028. To support this, we have introduced clear KPIs that track gender representation, participation in training, mentoring, and leadership accountability. In January of this year, we launched the CCE Female Empowerment Program to promote connection, growth, and leadership among women at CCE.

How did the company support the well-being, health, or engagement of employees last year?

At CCE, employee well-being is a top priority. Through the CCE Academy, we offer sports activities and nutrition sessions to promote health. We also have a flexible work culture that supports remote work. We provide and maintain a safe, healthy, and inclusive work environment for all employees, customers, and partners affected by our activities. This commitment extends to every phase of our renewable energy projects, from development through construction and operation to decommissioning. To continuously improve employee satisfaction and well-being, we conduct monthly surveys to gather feedback and take action (teamecho).

To promote and support social engagement, we launched CCE Care, a global initiative to strengthen our social responsibility. By combining our technical expertise and financial support, we promote projects that improve access to renewable energy, promote inclusive education, and support disadvantaged communities – whether through environmental education, inclusive sports, or humanitarian aid.

Were there significant changes in corporate governance structures or risk management processes in 2024?

We reviewed and updated our key policies to align with evolving regulations and global standards. Our ESG compliance is based on the principles of "Do No Significant Harm" and "Minimum Safeguards," supported by robust governance and procurement frameworks that reflect our operational values and the "Responsible Business Policy" of our shareholder Omnes Capital.

In 2024, we introduced three new policies. The QHSE policy, for example, sets ambitious goals: reducing project-specific greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, using 100% renewable energy in operations, and achieving Net Zero by 2040. Our DEI policy commits to achieving gender parity by 2030 and full participation in DEI training. The biodiversity policy, guided by SDG 15, promotes early environmental assessments, ecological connectivity, and a clear mitigation hierarchy.

To further strengthen governance, we also introduced an updated whistleblowing channel, accessible via our website, which allows safe, anonymous, or confidential reporting of misconduct or compliance concerns.

How does the company ensure ESG compliance and transparency along its value chain?

In 2024, CCE, together with our external consultant Position Green, successfully completed ESG due diligence assessments for five priority projects: Halle (battery storage, Germany), Ardea (PV, Italy), Montalto di Castro (PV, Italy), Marknesse (PV, Netherlands), and St. Lucia (PV, Italy), to ensure that all project developments meet the highest ESG standards. We demonstrate our commitment to transparency and sustainability performance through active participation in the GRESB Infrastructure Fund and Development Asset Benchmark Assessments. We successfully increased our GRESB rating from 2 stars in 2023 to 3 stars in 2024. We are currently implementing the CCE QHSE management system. These standards support our commitment to transparency, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.