Our stakeholders

We seek to address the most important issues that affect our business and that are of most relevance to our many stakeholders within and beyond our business. Below, we summarise how we engage with them to better understand their views.

As part of our commitment to gaining greater understanding of our stakeholders' views and priorities, we will be establishing a stakeholder panel in 2010. This will help us to improve two-way dialogue and gather a range of opinions on our targets, performance and reporting.

Our people

Our interests and expectations Interaction in 2009/10

Our people are the key to our success and we believe the more we invest in them, the better it is for our business. This means ensuring a culture in which they help each other to harness their potential and achieve exceptional performance.

  • Engaged employees in the development and delivery of new Group vision
  • Conducted annual formal Employee Engagement survey
  • Held quarterly 'Exchange Forum' meetings where elected representatives from around the business discussed key issues and business decisions with the Senior Management Board; the last meeting was held in January 2010
  • Held quarterly lunches with the Senior Management Board at which all employees were eligible to attend
  • Held formal business updates from senior management twice a year
  • Undertook wide consultation on the design and implementation of a new intranet

Our customers (retailers and occupiers)

Our interests and expectations Interaction in 2009/10

Through the knowledge gained from our strong partnerships with our customers, we help them to find new ways to make their own businesses more successful.

  • Provided every customer with a day-to-day contact
  • Conducted annual customer satisfaction surveys among shopping centre and office customers
  • Ran quarterly occupier review meetings in our shopping centres
  • Liaised regularly with occupiers in our London Portfolio
  • Attended industry conferences

Our suppliers and service partners

Our interests and expectations Interaction in 2009/10

We want to be the partner of choice, so we need to act with fairness, honesty and integrity at all times.

  • Held operational meetings and collaborative discussions with supply chain partners
  • Maintained direct contact with principal trade contractors, and aimed to discuss key issues regularly

Our investors

Our interests and expectations Interaction in 2009/10

Our investors seek competitive returns and assurance that their investments lie with a sustainable, well-governed business. We believe that good relations with investors are built on meaningful and transparent reporting and conforming to the highest FTSE standards.

  • Followed a structured programme of presentations and meetings
  • Attended investor conferences in the UK and internationally, allowing major investors to meet our management team face to face
  • Communicated with shareholders through our Annual General Meeting, our relationship with the UK Shareholders Association and our Investor Relations website
  • Conducted a formal investor survey (conducted every two years)

Our communities

Our interests and expectations Interaction in 2009/10

We want to be a good neighbour by investing in employment, education and enterprise opportunities to create sustainable local communities.

  • Ran active engagement programmes in local communities for all major assets
  • Encouraged enduring partnerships with local residents, community groups, businesses and local government
  • Supported employee volunteering, awarded bursaries and managed our Give As You Earn scheme to encourage charitable donations through 'The Foundation'
  • Liaised regularly with local councils about key development projects

Government, regulators and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

Our interests and expectations Interaction in 2009/10

Constructive relations with government, regulators and NGOs are vital to our success. Beyond legal and operating standards, we must also demonstrate astute judgement, set industry benchmarks and provide innovative thinking if we are to remain trusted advisors.

Our consumers (general public)

Our interests and expectations Interaction in 2009/10

We have a long history of owning and developing properties that are used by the general public. We believe that they want our properties to be accessible, safe, clean and environmentally sustainable.

  • Engaged with visitors through our day-to-day operations
  • Provided customer service desks in our shopping centres
  • Offered feedback facilities on our websites
  • Conducted surveys with visitors to our key properties