Business Forum • 25 September, 2024 at 10:03 AM
CBRE Romania is strengthening the presence of its ESG & Sustainability Solutions division in the commercial real estate sector through its latest partnership with Access4you: a Hungarian company with international recognition, specializing in building accessibility certification. The strategic collaboration leverages Access4you's expertise accumulated over five years of activity in 23 countries worldwide, aiming to create a more accessible and inclusive built environment for people with disabilities in Romania.
With this key partnership, the ESG and Sustainability Solutions team at CBRE Romania has developed a service that supports the integration of disabled people by auditing buildings and providing recommendations for the inclusion of functional facilities in the built environment to obtain an accessibility certification. This new service in CBRE's portfolio is based on Access4you's internationally recognized certification of buildings in the Romanian market.
”Through Access4you certification, we help clients achieve their sustainability goals by integrating accessibility as a key element of social responsibility and sustainable development. This certification not only promotes inclusion but also contributes to creating friendlier and more efficient built environments for all users, reflecting our commitment to bringing long-term value through sustainable and responsible solutions. Access4you certification is an essential step in supporting our clients to fulfill their sustainability commitments. Through this certification, we offer them not only alignment with accessibility standards but also a competitive advantage in their efforts to build more inclusive and socially responsible spaces. Thus, we contribute to creating a sustainable future and improving the quality of life for all users,” said Nicole Sommer, Head of Business Development | ESG & Sustainability Solutions at CBRE Romania.
Data from ANPDPD shows that over 850,000 adult Romanians have a disability, of which approximately half are still at an active age, under 66 years old. Of these, only 11% are currently employed, highlighting the need for a tailored approach to office design and traditional retail formats.
The partnership with Access4you in Romania has a successful precedent in other CEE countries where CBRE operates, such as Hungary.
”CBRE's successful efforts in accessibility have shown that when we align our goals, great outcomes follow,” said Balázs Berecz, founder and CEO of Access4you.
At the European level, 1 in 4 people has some type of disability. This means that there are currently a total of 101 million Europeans living with disabilities. Even more so, as 80% of disabilities are invisible, the challenges they face are often met with misunderstandings and a lack of adequate support.
Access4you International is a social impact company that assesses, certifies, and qualifies the accessibility of the built environment. The Access4you certificate testifies that the building owner prioritizes inclusion and ensures that detailed and reliable accessibility information about the location is available for 8+1 groups with accessibility needs: Wheelchair users; the Elderly and people with limited mobility; the Blind; visually impaired people, the Deaf, the hard of hearing; people with cognitive impairments; people pushing prams; and people with service dogs.
Accessibility and the lack of detailed and reliable information about it are global challenges. This is why Access4you International, founded in 2019, is focusing on its international expansion in 2022. By now, it has assessed 1000 buildings in 23 countries and operates in the CEE, SEE, and India with the help of an accredited partner network. The company's founder, Balázs Berecz, has been using a wheelchair for 15 years.