Mlp : sustainability report 2023

Sustainability Report 2023

Strategy and management 3

The MLP Group - The partner for all financial matters 3

Sustainability strategy and management 4

Communication 15

Sustainability ratings, awards and memberships 17

Sustainability in our core business 20

Environment 30

Carbon footprint as the basis for climate action 30

Resource and energy consumption 33

Reporting under the EU Taxonomy Regulation 36

Social 44

People at MLP 45

Due diligence obligations relating to human rights 59

Social and community commitment 60

Governance 63

Corporate governance 63

Compliance 64

Political representation of interests 66

Notes 67

Editorial note 67

Contact 67

Introductory notes

Within the MLP Group central control tasks are performed by the parent company, MLP SE. The five subsidiaries DOMCURA AG, FERI Management AG, MLP Finanzberatung SE with its subsidiary DI Deutschland.Immobilien AG, MLP Banking AG and RVM GmbH are arranged below this. As per the requirements of § 289b et seq. and § 315b of the German Commercial Code (HGB), MLP SE, as the parent company of the MLP Group, provides the separately drafted non-financial report presented here. Reporting at Group level releases our subsidiaries from their own reporting obligation. You can find information on the scope of consolidation of MLP SE in the chapter "Consolidated financial statements" of the MLP Group'sAnnual Report.

MLP SE is subject to the CSR Guidelines Implementation Law (CSR-RUG). Pursuant to this, reportable companies must report on significant nonfinancial aspects for each financial year, whereby the CSR Guidelines Implementation Law (CSR-RUG) requires disclosures to be made on environmental, employee and social issues, as well as respecting human rights and fighting both corruption and bribery (§ 289c HGB).

Where possible, we always present the topics and aspects included in our sustainability report from the view of the MLP Group (scope of consolidation). However, individual aspects can also refer to specific parts of the MLP Group, which has been indicated accordingly. The objective of this report is to provide a comprehensible picture of our current sustainability activities and their development.

The information in this report offers an insight into the completed financial year 2023 (January 1 to December 31).

The report is reviewed every year by both the Executive Board and Supervisory Board at MLP SE. The MLP Sustainability Report 2023 has been authorised by the Executive Board and was both reviewed and approved by the Supervisory Board in its meeting held in March 2024. No additional review by an auditing firm was performed.

Strategy and management

The MLP Group - The partner for all financial matters

Company profile

MLP SE has its registered office in Wiesloch and is a financial group that acts as a holding company for various subsidiaries. The subsidiaries MLP Banking AG and MLP Finanzberatung SE also have all of their internal departments at this location. The latter operates as a broker for financial products, such as insurance policies and loans. In addition to this, MLP SE holds a stake in FERI Management AG, an asset management and financial consulting company with its registered office in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe. The other subsidiaries include DOMCURA AG, with its registered office in Kiel, which operates as an underwriting agency offering comprehensive non-life insurance coverage concepts for private and self-employed clients, as well as RVM GmbH with registered office in Wiesloch, which specialises as a broker in the commercial and industrial client segment. The MLP Group also includes the Hanover-based company DI Deutschland.Immobilien AG, which operates as an online marketplace, project developer and service provider for investment properties in Germany.

Broad range of services

The MLP Group operates with the brands MLP, DOMCURA, FERI, DI Deutschland.Immobilien AG, RVM and TPC as a financial service provider for private, corporate, and institutional clients and in the business fields of old-age and healthcare provision, non-life insurance, loans and mortgages, wealth management, development and sale of real estate, as well as banking services.

An intensive transfer of knowledge and expertise takes place within the Group. The specialists support one another in the areas of research and concept development, as well as in client consulting. Special added value is created for our clients by networking the various perspectives and areas of expertise - enabling clients to reach better financial decisions. To this end, the MLP Group competently combines personal and digital offers. Several of the brands also offer selected products, services and technology for other financial services providers.

Market environment

MLP operates in a heavily regulated, complex and constantly changing market and competitive environment, linked to our mission of continuing to impress a discerning clientele as the partner for all financial matters. A profound understanding of the individual requirements of our various client groups within the Group is crucial for MLP in achieving sustainable business success.

In our core business, sustainability criteria - ecological, social and corresponding governance aspects - are becoming increasingly important for clients, investors and other stakeholders. Particularly when reaching financial decisions, clients are placing ever-greater emphasis on sustainability in terms of a company's alignment and its products.

Regulatory development

With the Action Plan on Financing Sustainable Growth published in 2018, the European Commission defined concrete sustainability goals for the financial sector and, at the same time laid the groundwork for corresponding regulation. It was implemented through amendments to disclosure requirements, the MiFID II and the IDD directives, as well as through a series of new regulations, such as a unified EU classification system (EU Taxonomy Regulation) and EU standards for sustainability reporting.

Implementation of the regulatory requirements - which affect the MLP Group in various ways both at company level and with regard to the respective core business - is considered challenging overall.

Sustainability strategy and management

Global challenges, both social and environmental, are constantly on the rise and gaining urgency due to current crises and conflicts. In light of this, we see it as our social and sociopolitical obligation to make a contribution to overcoming the global problems through targeted measures.

To meet our responsibility toward society and the environment, we have embedded sustainability comprehensively within our company. As such, it represents an integral part of our corporate responsibility. Based on the progress made in the last few years, sustainability has been defined as a key strategic concern in the Group. This means that sustainability is integrated into our business strategy and policy, thus programmatically influencing all areas and processes of the company. This means that sustainability is integrated into our business strategy and policy, thus programmatically influencing all areas and processes of the company.

Management and implementation of sustainability

The MLP Group's sustainability management system is anchored at the parent company, MLP SE. Overall responsibility for the topic of sustainability lies with the Executive Board of MLP SE. Sustainability management - in terms of specialist development and implementation - is performed by the Group Sustainability Officer, who reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The duties of the Group Sustainability Officer are to ensure strategic further development of the MLP Group's sustainability topics, to plan sustainability activities and then to implement or support implementation of these both at group headquarters and in coordination with the Group companies. In this role, the Group Sustainability Officer is supported by a Group-wide body - the Sustainability Committee - which comprises the Sustainability Officers of the respective MLP Group companies. Their joint task is to establish the sustainability topics throughout the Group, as well as to continuously refine and implement these.

The Executive Committee holds regular meetings in order to coordinate Group activities and ensure an efficient exchange of information relevant for controlling purposes. Alongside the members of the Executive Board at MLP SE, this Executive Committee also includes representatives from the Group's business units. The strategies and plans of the operating segments are also discussed in its meetings and coordinated with the overall strategy and plans of the Group.

Implementation and specialist (further) development of sustainability-related topics are managed by the Group Sustainability Officer, as well as the Sustainability Committee. At operational level, interdisciplinary support is provided by numerous colleagues from the Group companies and specialist departments. The measures and activities are controlled and implemented at two levels:

Group level

This defines the overall sustainability strategy throughout the Group, the selection of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for aligning the Group objectives, the common climate strategy, as well as the Group-specific sustainability communication and disclosure approach used in the sustainability report.

Company / corporate level

This encompasses the activities of the individual Group subsidiaries in their respective core business. In accordance with the client-specific requirements and regulatory requirements, each Group subsidiary specifies its own guidelines and strategic goals at company level.

Specialised expert committees and projections have now been established to ensure further development of our sustainability activities. The members of these committees are generally managers from specialist departments, as well as specifically appointed employees. The committees and projects have the task of continuously testing and scrutinising the relevant sustainability topics, while also keeping a close eye on the increasing regulatory requirements.

For example, an established committee has been in place for years that actively engages in our energy and environmental management. This includes representatives from our Infrastructure Management, Purchasing and Fleet Management departments, as well as our Corporate Mobility Management Officer.

Understanding of sustainability, basic principles and guidelines

We clarify and substantiate our understanding of sustainability with ourMLP Sustainability Policy.This establishes the sustainability framework for the MLP Group, conveys a clear understanding of the common values and goals and provides orientation for corresponding action. A holistic view represented within the Group is the basic prerequisite for the implementation of common sustainability targets.

Our understanding of values is underlined by the following sustainability principles, which are the basis of all of our activities and objectives:

The 17 SDGs for global sustainable development sit at the heart of the UN's Agenda 2030 - providing a common direction for the future. We are committed to these 17 sustainability goals for sustainable worldwide development. They serve as central guideline for all activities and decisions within the MLP Group.

In 2015, the global community agreed on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), intended to achieve worldwide assurance of sustainable development at economic, social and environmental levels. Nations, the economy, civil society, scientists and the public sector - everyone can support these goals by acting sustainably.

We identified five of these goals as particularly relevant for us as a business group and for our core business:

SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

As a knowledge-based service provider, the qualification and further training of both our consultants and our employees is a high priority. A high quality of educational programmes is therefore an essential prerequisite for high-quality financial advice for our clients. We empower people to reach better financial decisions independently.

Promoting education is a fundamental value as well as an essential requirement for sustainable worldwide development and thus for securing the future. We actively promote financial education with our MLP Corporate University and our MLP School of Financial Education (MLP SoFE).

SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

MLP benefits from the diversity of its employees, which is why we actively support diversity and gender equality as a matter of course and create the necessary framework conditions to achieve this. Only in this way - with many talents, different backgrounds and strengths - can we reap the benefits together in a challenging and future-oriented environment.

Responsible conduct and a respectful attitude towards others are always at the heart of our corporate culture. We implement this in an open and team-oriented corporate culture. From this results the goal of also staffing the management levels in the company in a balanced gender ratio wherever possible.

SDG 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Affordable and clean energy is an essential building block for countering global environmental and climate challenges.

We strive to treat resources responsibly. To this end, efficient environmental and resource management is anchored in MLP's sustainability management strategy. Affordable and clean energy is closely tied to climate protection.

SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Sustainability is a social and socio-political imperative. Goal: companies must pursue the objective of remaining economically successful, while at the same time acting with ecological, social and societal responsibility. We assume this responsibility with the greatest conviction. Sustainability is an essential constituent of our corporate strategy.

The MLP Group is also firmly committed to its responsibility to defend human rights in its supply chain, as well as its own business operations. To affirm this, it has passed a Group-wide declaration of principles and also appointed a Human Rights Officer.

SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

One important social objective of the MLP Group in this regard is to act in the interest of climate change mitigation and to consistently reduce our own carbon footprint. Our climate protection strategy defines the framework of action for the climate protection activities. We record our carbon footprint for the MLP Group every year. Derived from this, we then develop reduction potential and introduce corresponding measures in order to reduce or even eliminate our CO2 emissions altogether wherever possible. In addition to this, we are committed to making a positive contribution to climate and environmental protection by providing financial support for climate protection projects.

Sustainability goals and activities

Our objective is to promote sustainable practices across all aspects of our company. This includes continuously reducing environmental impacts, promoting social justice and diversity, as well as sustainable development of our services.

We have been systematically establishing sustainability at our company since 2016. Since 2022, the topic of sustainability has also been integrated in the MLP business strategy as a central strategic topic. In our annual target planning, we consider input and requirements from our stakeholders, as well as those from increasing regulatory frameworks.

To ensure reliable implementation of our common and company-specific goals, we have gradually further developed and refined the structures for our sustainability activities throughout the MLP Group in the last few years - working together on an interdisciplinary basis across all companies, levels and business divisions. This has enabled us to pursue our strategic goals together and integrate them into the respective operational processes accordingly. The following table shows the current development steps and objective of our sustainability commitment:

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MLP SE published this content on 27 March 2024 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 28 March 2024 11:45:02 UTC.