Towards Sustainable Housing on the Ostrobothnia Plains
Recognizing the Importance of Sustainability
In the summer of 2024, CEO Tuomas Kuusinen recognized the growing importance of sustainability through a survey conducted by Kuntarahoitus. It became evident that sustainability reporting would soon become a critical requirement for maintaining customer relationships and securing financing. As Kuntarahoitus is a key financier for Kauhajoen Asunnot, Tuomas decided to address the matter proactively.
Initiating Sustainability Reporting
Initiating sustainability reporting without prior experience initially seemed daunting, but esgResilience Oy provided invaluable expert support. The climate impact and sustainability profiles of 20 individual properties owned by Kauhajoen Asunnot were comprehensively assessed. Through the service it was possible efficiently calculate emissions, analyze net zero pathways, and evaluate the potential cost implications of emissions for each property.
The results provided a clear picture of the sustainability of the properties and will help direct future investments toward more sustainable targets. “We hope financiers will recognize the potential of the esgResilience tool to meet the requirements for financing and sustainability reporting moving forward,” Kuusinen states.
Results and Next Steps
Key findings from the reporting process were presented to the Kauhajoki City Council. In his presentation, Tuomas emphasized the future importance of sustainability reporting not only for Kauhajoen Asunnot but also for businesses that are not directly subject to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). “The EU leverages its regulatory power through financial institutions, which significantly impacts smaller companies as well,” Tuomas points out.
The process was a positive experience overall. While data collection required some time and the use of multiple sources, it also familiarized the new user with sustainability reporting concepts. A surprising discovery was the clarity and user-friendliness of consumption tracking services provided by electricity and district heating companies.
Moving forward, Kauhajoen Asunnot plans to implement an annual sustainability reporting process and advance along the net zero pathway by establishing closer collaboration with key heating energy providers.
Toward a Sustainable Future
Kauhajoen Asunnot Oy’s sustainability reporting has laid a solid foundation for future development and targeted investments. “In the future, companies must integrate sustainability into their operations and be able to report on it reliably to remain a credible choice for consumers,” Tuomas Kuusinen concludes.
The experience of Kauhajoen Asunnot demonstrates that with the right partner and a systematic approach, even seemingly challenging sustainability reporting and analysis can bring clarity and tangible benefits to operational management.
