Sustainable value creation

Financial and operational excellence

Implenia continuously adapts its structures and processes in response to market developments in order to stay competitive and exploit market opportunities. Carefully weighing up opportunities and risks, the company exploits its entrepreneurial freedom and creates sustainable value for its shareholders and stakeholders.

Content

Creating value Value Assurance BIM Lean Construction Cybersecurity Sustainable finance “Green” credit financing Sustainable investment decisions Quality strategy

Creating value

  • GRI 2-26
  • GRI 3-3
  • GRI 201-1

Consolidated Financial Statements 2024

Value Assurance

The success achieved by Implenia depends to a large extent on its ability to create value by developing, planning, executing and managing large projects, so it is very important to exploit opportunities and control risks in every phase. This is the only way to secure sustainable growth for the whole Group.

This is why Implenia operates according to the Value Assurance model. Each project undergoes a predefined process in which its intrinsic value is checked several times. This model is applied as soon as projects are selected and tenders prepared. It then continues across all the key stages up to and including actual construction and completion.

Implenia divides its projects into classes on the basis of various parameters, including size, complexity and contractual conditions. Depending on the class, a specific decision-making body (Value Assurance Committee – VAC) will be responsible for overseeing the project. The VAC approves the tender and regularly reviews early warning indicators to determine whether a project is progressing according to plan. If problems become apparent, measures are taken rapidly to prevent major losses.

BIM

It is hard to think of anything that has changed the construction industry as profoundly in recent years as Building Information Modeling, or BIM. Implenia is constantly expanding its model-based work – from planning to implementation to documentation. Planning is already almost completely done with digital 3D models. This is increasingly leading to paperless construction sites where all the relevant information is available on digital devices. 

Building documentation is also produced completely digitally. These digital depictions provide extensive data for operating and maintaining buildings, and changing them in future. One advantage of this is that materials within the building can be identified at a later date and reused or recycled.

BIM is organised decentrally at Implenia. Local BIM units help the divisions implement new methods in their operational business. They train project employees, provide support and take the technology forward in areas such as the calculation of CO2 footprints at the beginning of the planning phase.

Lean Construction

Implenia uses Lean Construction methods to preserve resources and ensure efficiency in the planning, management and execution of construction projects. As well as optimising planning and production processes, these methods get all stakeholders involved at an early stage, shorten decision-making paths and strengthen cooperation with partners, customers and subcontractors. This increases material and energy efficiency, but also improves the safety and satisfaction of all parties involved.

An internal Lean toolbox, which is based on best practice and is continuously being developed, brings all the methods together in standardised form. Implenia also introduced a Lean Expert training course in 2021, which has already been completed by almost 250 employees and is helping to embed Lean principles in the corporate culture. This course is accredited by the Lean Competency System (LCS) and meets industry standards.

In 2024, Implenia also began to promote continuous improvement teams in all areas of the business. These teams identify and test ideas to streamline processes. One team, for example, reduced energy consumption by 30 percent by introducing an intelligent heating control system for construction containers.

Cybersecurity

As more and more processes within the company become digitally networked, the risk of hacker attacks and data theft increases. In response, Implenia uses the latest cloud technologies and is continuously expanding its cybersecurity strategy. This strategy is based on the international ISO 27001 standard and includes an integrated risk management approach centred on the protection of employees and systems.

Implenia works with internal and external specialists to ensure all digital processes are implemented in a professional manner. A partner company monitors the systems round-the-clock, registers any irregularities immediately and responds without delay. Regular internal and external audits ensure that vulnerabilities are identified promptly and corrected.

Employees receive regular training to sensitise them to risks associated with the internet. They tackle the latest cybersecurity topics and practice how to defend against virtual attacks.

Sustainable finance

Sustainability is an integral part of Implenia’s business and value system. This makes the Group’s shares and bonds attractive to investors who want to invest responsibly. It is important to Implenia, therefore, whether and how the Group’s engagement is perceived and valued by the financial sector. The company also attaches great significance to transparent communication, in particular of its objectives and key indicators.

A raft of positive ratings reflects the external recognition that Implenia’s commitment to sustainability has received in recent years. MSCI ESG – one of the world’s leading credit rating agencies – gave Implenia a AAA rating in 2024, for example. Implenia also received above-average sustainability scores from rating companies Morningstar Sustainalytics, Inrate, CDP and EcoVadis. 

“Green” credit financing

In 2018 Implenia became the first industrial company in Switzerland to link its credit margin to its sustainability performance. This performance is determined annually by Morningstar Sustainalytics, a leading international provider of ESG ratings. In 2024, Implenia consolidated its leadership position – both overall and in the three individual areas – among a total of 62 companies in the “Construction & Engineering” sector, scoring 88 points. This was an improvement of two points on the previous year (download report). The Morningstar Sustainalytics “ESG Risk Rating” also puts Implenia in the top eight percent of companies (download report). Thanks to its consistent high ratings Implenia benefits from favourable conditions on the capital market.

SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT DECISIONS

In order to make its investment decisions more sustainable, Implenia developed an ESG due diligence test procedure in 2024 and integrated it into the M&A process. This is based on the Code of Conduct for External Business Partners as well as on a questionnaire integrated into the supplier management system that assesses the sustainability credentials of suppliers and subcontractors. The checklist takes account of key issues such as environmental protection, environmentally friendly products and services, human rights and working conditions, occupational safety, health and integrity. The test methodology allows Implenia to take further steps where necessary. For example, discussions may be held with business partners, suppliers or their customers in order to highlight specific sustainability aspects. Individual parts of the ESG due diligence process may also be outsourced or verified externally. An investment or M&A transaction is only permissible for Implenia in terms of sustainability if the Code of Conduct criteria are met as a bare minimum.

Quality strategy

In order to stay competitive for the long term, Implenia continuously adapts its structures, as well as its management and control processes, to market requirements, the latest academic insights and the latest technology. Almost 100 percent of its business units (excluding Wincasa) are subjected to the ISO 9001 continuous improvement process. 

Implenia’s quality strategy is based on three pillars:

  • Excellent process management with clear procedures and responsibilities
  • Continuous improvement by learning from experience and maintaining a positive error culture
  • Increased quality awareness through training and a clear definition of responsibilities

Implenia thus ensures that the company can achieve the desired results with regard to products and services, customers, employees and society at large.

A central element of process management is the Implenia Management System (IMS), which is continuously evolving. This serves as a reliable reference for all standards, documents and information (“single source of truth”). Thanks to the IMS, all employees can access the relevant processes whenever necessary. Roles and responsibilities are clearly set out at document level as well as for the different areas and processes.

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