Safestore remains focused on ensuring that our business operates in an ethical and responsible manner. Our approach to corporate responsibility ("CR") reflects our broader purpose statement and the values of the Group. When making business decisions our objective is to take a balanced view considering the needs of internal and external stakeholders as well as the impact on profitability and the wider community and environment in which we operate. This enables us to build a truly sustainable and ethical business with CR integrated into our every day functions.
Chaired by our Chief Operating Officer, quarterly CR reviews take place with regular feedback to our Board on progress against our key performance criteria. Everything we do in terms of our approach meets legislative requirements and supports good governance and the needs of our stakeholders.
Our eight point strategic plan sets a clear approach in terms of how we will meet the varying needs of our stakeholder groups. This is encapsulated into four key policy statements, fundamental to delivering an overall net gain to our four key stakeholder groups – our marketplace, our people, our environment and our community. Our senior management team is responsible for the ownership and day-to-day delivery of our strategic plan across our UK wide estate and head office. This has led to a highly integrated CR programme visible in each team’s function rather than being a stand alone operation.
— This year we were delighted to achieve a
highly prestigious Ruban d’Honneur
at the
European Business Awards in Paris for our
efforts in the "Employer of
the Year" category.
— We were also delighted to continue to meet
the CR inclusion criteria for the
FTSE4Good
Index retaining our membership of the
FTSE4Good Index series,
the leading global
responsible investment index.

Steve Williams accepting the European Business Award in Paris.
We focus our approach on providing easily accessible and clearly communicated information on our business to all interested parties including shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers and third party advisers. We will:
— maintain a customer engagement
programme that continually aspires to
deliver
"best in class" standards of customer service;
— support the evolution of the broader
self-storage sector and actively
participate in industry forums and
conferences to share best practice;
— be an active member of the Self Storage Association; and
— work proactively with council planners and
the broader community regarding
our new
store expansion programme.
— Despite the economic climate we expanded
our store portfolio by 15%,
through a
combination of new store openings and our
success in being
awarded the management
contract for the Space Maker chain.
— We participated in National Customer
Service Week for the third consecutive
year.
This saw both our estate and head office
teams supporting our
"Exceeding Expectations"
theme when considering the needs of their
internal
and external customers.
— The Web and telephone are key ways our
customers choose to interact with
us.
We have therefore continued to expand our
Customer Support Centre
providing a "one
stop shop" experience for our customers.
— We were delighted to achieve a customer
satisfaction score of 97% for the
year,
demonstrative of the excellent service our
staff provide to our
customers every day.
— The year saw the strengthening of our
strategic alliances with the further
evolution
of partnerships with O2, Parcel2Go, eBay
and Propertywide.
— We continue to work proactively with local
planners ensuring all new store
applications
conform to Bre Eam guidelines as standard.
— We extended our commitment to utilising
renewable energy sources, ensuring
all new
stores were fitted with photocell sensors,
minimising the need for
illuminated signage.
In addition, internal sensor lighting has been
fitted as
standard for more than ten years.
— During the year we introduced air-to-air heat
source pumps which extract
heat from the
outside air into our Barking and Crystal Palace
stores, reducing
demands on electricity
consumption. In addition, we fitted photovoltaic
cells
which react with sunlight, a natural
source of renewable energy, to generate
electricity at our Barking store. This has
generated CO2 savings with surplus
electricity deployed back to the grid.
1
We will continually listen to the needs of key stakeholders and deliver meaningful solutions.
2
We will work towards operating in an environmentally sustainable manner considering the impact of our activities at all times.
3
We will use Corporate Social Responsibility not only to deliver legislative compliance but as a springboard for ongoing continuous improvement.

For Safestore to receive a Ruban d’Honneur at the European Business Awards is a real mark of distinction and testament to the determination and passion which drives the Group. The commitment of our staff and the importance we place on exceptional service for our customers and partners has culminated in us being recognised as leaders in our field.
Stephen Williams
Former Chief Executive Officer