Creating a standard of buildings without barriers - a new stage in the CSR strategy of Skanska Property Poland that can benchmark the whole real estate market in Poland.
Skanska has started a strategic cooperation with the “Integration” Foundation (one of the most active and merit partners acting for social and employment inclusion), which is a new opening in its CSR strategy. To create more easily accessible architecture, the company created a standard of buildings without barriers and has audited most of office projects in Poland. Skanska has also strategically decided to Build Accessibly. It means that the company will be the first developer in Poland to have all its new investments fully available for individuals with disabilities, the elderly, parents with children, and non-Polish speakers. This benchmark can upgrade standards on the whole real estate market in Poland or even wider.
Skanska has started working on the standard of buildings without barriers in 2015. Firstly, the company conducted audits of the accessibility of its chosen office buildings. The main goal was to analyze the possibility of a complete adaptation of the building and its surrounding space to the diverse needs of different groups of people - individuals with disabilities, but also the elderly, parents with infants, or even foreigners. Investments that have already been audited by the “Integration” Foundation were Spark and Atrium 2 in Warsaw, among others. What’s interesting, Spark office building has been analyzed as soon as the project and the design works phases started. After the completion of the investment, the building will obtain “Object with no barriers” certificate while being delivered to market. It can be a new showcase for real estate in Poland.
Skanska uses solutions that are both functional and ergonomic and allow the disabled to achieve the highest level of independence. As a company deeply involved in expanding the philosophy of diversity and being strongly against any form of social exclusion, Skanska fosters the idea of innovation as a way to provide the disabled with modern and sustainable office buildings, fully integrated with the urban tissue. The certificate “Object with no barriers” is given not only to the office building itself. The surrounding is equally important. That is why Skanska focuses on creating valuable Places – open squares, passages or parks accessible for all inhabitants and users. This is a part of the company’s strategy and inseparable element of this standard.
Currently, together with “Integration” Foundation, Skanska is working on an educational campaign, as well as on a compendium providing guidelines for developing universal architecture for all. Additionally, as the effect of sustainable construction awareness, including residential projects, Skanska participates in creating the first housing project without barriers.
