Trafford Centre reveals sustainability and social impact progress and priorities in 2025 ESG report

Two years since launch, ‘For Our Future’ – Trafford Centre’s award-winning ESG programme – continues to drive positive change 

World-renowned shopping & leisure destination, Trafford Centre, is proud to share its 2025 ESG impact report, with a raft of achievements and progress markers. Highlights include:

• Footfall into the centre via the Metrolink stops was 14 percent up for the year
• 116,390 EV charging sessions delivered in 2024, 27 percent up on 2023, and reducing emissions from travel to the site by over 33,753,840g of co2
• Every possible vehicle in Trafford Centre’s on-site fleet is now zero emission
• 12 percent of staff opting to walk, cycle or run instead of bringing the car to work
• Over £100,000 raised for charitable causes in 2024 through the coin fountains, events and partners

Now in its second year of delivery, For Our Future continues to be committed to reducing its impact on the environment – with the objective of being net zero carbon in the spaces it controls by 2030. Trafford Centre is also actively engaging with its visitors, brand partners, and teams as part of its Scope 3 commitments.

Sustainable transport

The success of its Sustainable Transport Strategy can be demonstrated by a number of positive metrics, including 14 percent more visitors now arriving at Trafford Centre by Metrolink.  The Trafford Park Metrolink Line (TPL) now carries just under 2.5 million passengers per year, making the centre a true hub for connected sustainable transport.

In addition, 27 percent more on-site EV charging sessions were used YOY in 2024, reducing emissions from travel to the site by over 33,754kg of co2, plus on site cycle parking facilities have been upped to ten locations featuring 200 spaces. As a result of all this, Trafford Centre is now the largest UK retail destination to achieve a ‘ModeScore’ certification and the first of its kind to meet ‘Gold’ standard with a score of 67 percent.

Continuing a focus on this vital area, the centre’s £11.5m Ultra Rapid EV Charging Hub –  expected to be the largest of its kind in Europe – is due to open in early 2026, which will allow cars to charge in just 20 minutes. Alongside this, the centre team is exploring the latest opportunities in PV charging, with a view to solar panel technology in the near future.

Bringing more biodiversity

Biodiversity was another key delivery project for 2024/2025, focusing on the Wilderspool Woods area of the estate.  Native wildlife species have been provided with safe, sustainable homes with new boxes for bats and birds, a hibernaculum was installed to shelter animals during winter, enhancements to pond areas were made to attract geese, and discarded logs used to construct bug hotels for beneficial insects.  45,000 bulbs were planted, six beehives are in place and expected to produce over 200 jars of honey, and regular surveys now monitor the health of the trees.

Trafford Centre’s ESG strategy continues to prioritise biodiversity, with plans to implement butterfly attraction strategies, enhance pond ecosystems, support the growing community of bees, and schedule seasonal bulb planting sessions in the coming months.

Award-winning impact

A ‘Very Good’ BRREAM rating has been achieved two years ahead of schedule with the centre now considered to be performing very well in both Asset Performance (56.6 percent for Part 1) and Management Performance (64.2 percent for Part 2).  Similarly, a ‘Very Good’ ISO 14001 rating, with a score of 92.75 percent, demonstrates that the centre is proactively minimising its environmental impact at an operational level.

The centre’s property management partner has ranked Trafford Centre as the national leader with a ‘gold’ standard rating in The Savills Retail and Leisure Index.  Meanwhile, Britain in Bloom North West awarded Trafford Centre a Gold Award, alongside recognition from Green Apple with the Environmental Best Practice award acknowledging its long-term commitment to enriching Wilderspool Woods.

Plus, in 2024, Trafford Centre’s Sustainability Impact Report itself became award-winning.  It was judged to be the most accurate, well-structured and informative ESG report of the year in the ESG and Sustainability Awards, receiving the gold award.  The ‘For Our Future’ programme was also recognised at the MAPIC Awards 2024, receiving the Best Sustainable Initiative by a Property Player award. The MAPIC Awards reward excellence, innovation and creativity in the retail real estate industry.

Looking ahead

Set up to deliver tangible change, Trafford Centre’s ‘For Our Future’ ESG initiative holds the team accountable and keeps progress on track through measurable objectives reviewed in its annual Impact Reports.

Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, says: “We’ve made some significant advancements over the last two years, exceeding targets and winning awards for our progress, which we can be really proud of, but this is a constantly evolving journey and there is still more to do.

A key priority for us this year is further supporting people throughout the Greater Manchester region with the launch of our very own registered charity. I’m looking forward to sharing more details on this soon.

Until then, we remain focused on holding ourselves accountable and reporting against industry frameworks, minimising our environmental impact, looking after our people and creating real social value for the communities we’re privileged to be a part of – now and for our future.”

For more information visit For Our Future – Trafford Centre.