Nearly half of individual clients deliberately choose companies committed to preventing climate change, managers of major investment funds are focusing on sustainability strategies, and the public sector in Western Europe is initiating "green public procurement" efforts. Regardless of business objectives or target audiences, sustainability has become essential for company growth, according to an article by Prologis, a global leader in logistics real estate.
"Sustainability has been a trending topic in recent years," said Paweł Sapek, Senior Vice-President, Regional Head, Central Europe at Prologis. "This is driven by new EU regulations that will require increasingly more companies to submit ESG reports, as well as market expectations. Whether or not a company is subject to reporting requirements, it's worth considering adapting to sustainability principles. According to a study conducted for the Prologis 2025 Supply Chain Outlook Report, 85% of managers from global companies see sustainability as an opportunity to gain a competitive edge."
According to McKinsey, logistics accounts for about 7% of global emissions, with 80% stemming from transportation and 20% from warehousing. "From a company’s perspective, in order to reduce the climate impact of its operations, it is worth to choose facilities with the highest energy efficiency standards, backed by relevant certifications," Paweł Sapek commented. "Moreover, selecting high-quality warehouses can help reduce emissions beyond the facility itself. For instance, having electric vehicle charging systems on-site supports emission reductions in transportation and employees' commutes," he added.
Tenders in with sustainability
The World Economic Forum reports that the global public sector spends approximately $11 trillion annually, with indirect and direct greenhouse gas emissions from its purchased goods accounting for 15% of global emissions. In the EU, this figure is about 10%. To support EU climate goals, member states are encouraging public sector entities to incorporate carbon footprints and other sustainability factors into procurement criteria. Denmark's Partnership for Green Public Procurement, involving the Ministry of Environment and local authorities, is one example of such an initiative.
Consumers Want to Be "Eco"
According to the EKObarometr report, nearly half of Polish consumers (47%) deliberately choose brands actively engaged in combating climate change. At the same time, awareness of "greenwashing" is increasing—35% of respondents in the latest EKObarometer survey recognized the term, a six-percentage-point increase from the previous year.
"Companies renting warehouse space increasingly ask about sustainability solutions. At Prologis, we offer these through our Essentials platform," said Paweł Sapek from Prologis. "Our comprehensive range of services supports clients throughout their operations, from moving in to daily activities. Essentials include simple solutions like shelving systems and forklift leasing, as well as advanced installations such as renewable energy systems, EV charging solutions, and intelligent energy management systems."
Investors Allocate Capital to Sustainability
In addition to individual clients and the public sector, institutional investors are also paying attention to conducting business in a sustainable manner. According to a study conducted by the Hoover Institution, 78% of them believe that ESG reduces the tail risk of a given investment."Whether a company is looking to attract capital, individual customers, or public sector contracts, investing in sustainability is truly an investment in growth," Paweł Sapek said. "At Prologis, we can confirm this—globally, we have published our own sustainability and impact reports for 18 consecutive years, providing our clients and partners with complete transparency about our initiatives in this area."