Sponda has several stakeholders, and the company engages in active cooperation with them. The company strives to meet their expectations in accordance with Sponda’s values and procedures. Guiding principles for the work with stakeholders are trustworthiness and integrity.
Personnel – Committed, skilled and motivated personnel are a key resource for Sponda. Altogether, 119 people were working at Sponda at the end of 2010. The company invests heavily in maintaining and developing their professional skills and know-how. Sponda offers its employees a secure livelihood, safe working conditions and the opportunity for personal development at work. The personnel’s job satisfaction is measured annually through a job satisfaction survey.
Customers – Sponda’s customers operate in various industries and in different parts of Finland. The company’s Russian customers also come from several different industries. The business operations of many Finnish and Russian customers are very international. In Finland, the largest customer groups operate in the retail and wholesale business, in the public sector and in the banking and investment sectors. At the end of 2010 Sponda had 2,003 customers. Customers expect Sponda to provide reliable, tailored and environmentally friendly business premise solutions. Good, reliable and long-term customer relations are the crucial cornerstone for Sponda’s success. In 2010, special attention was paid to customer service and customer relationship management. Customer satisfaction is measured annually through a customer satisfaction survey.
Investors and owners – At the end of 2010 Sponda had 9,644 registered shareholders. Public sector entities owned 19.9 per cent of shares, nominee registered 50.1 per cent, companies 17.2 per cent, private households 9.0 per cent, non-profit-making organizations 1.5 per cent, and financial and insurance institutions 1.6 per cent. Altogether, 0.6 per cent of shares were in foreign ownership registered in Finland. Sponda strives to be a company with a stable financial standing and a good and profitable investment choice for investors. Sponda’s target is to provide investors with reliable, unbiased, consistent and up-to-date information to support their decision-making.
Financiers – Sponda aims at being a reliable long-term partner for its financiers, which are mainly Nordic banks, including Nordea Bank Finland Plc, Sampo Bank Plc, Danske Bank, Skandinaviska Enskilda Bank and Pohjola Bank Plc among others. In financier relations, Sponda’s corporate-level targets and their implementation are emphasized.
Subcontractors – Subcontractors and their responsible operations are of utmost importance for Sponda. Sponda requires all its subcontractor partners to have transparent, responsible operations that take environmental factors into account. Contracts aim at reliable long-term partnerships. Sponda’s most important subcontractor is Ovenia Oy, which is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of properties. Ovenia plays an important role in customer relations and in implementing and monitoring Sponda’s corporate responsibility. Other subcontractors include construction companies, for instance.
Media – Media plays a key role as a means of communication. At Sponda, the foundation for media relations is a fast, active and open approach. Media relations are maintained through active communications and contact with journalists. For instance, the company property development projects and properties are introduced to media.
Society and the authorities – Through responsibility in corporate and environmental matters, Sponda strives to be a socially responsible company. Sponda maintains good relations with the authorities and complies with statutory and other official requirements. Sponda actively monitors developments in regulations and co-operate with the authorities to express own aspects.
In the cities where Sponda operates, it also influences the cityscape and urban structure, which highlights the importance of open, active and reliable relations with the city authorities. Good relations with authorities are also of key importance for business in Russia.
Organizations – Sponda is actively involved in RAKLI (The Finnish Association of Building Owners and Construction Clients), EPRA (European Public Real Estate Association), INREV (European Association for Investors in Non-listed Real Estate Vehicles) and the Finnish Green Building Council (FiGBC). In late 2010, Sponda initiated cooperation with WWF Finland. In the future, this cooperation will be seen in particular in improved service for Sponda’s customers. The aim of cooperation is active communication about environmental issues, especially towards customers, which enables customers to operate in a more environmentally friendly manner.
In Russia, Sponda belongs to the Association for European Businesses real estate forum and the Russian Green Building Council (RuGBC).
Other stakeholders – Other important stakeholders include educational institutions and various research and development organizations. Every year Sponda provides opportunities for university students, for example, to work on a thesis related to the real estate sector.