The Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL), an organization representing the business services sector, and Colliers, the global leader in real estate consulting and investment management, are extending a strategic partnership which now enters its fourth year.

Despite economic and geopolitical challenges and technological transformation processes, the Polish office market remains stable. Investment in modern offices, a shift towards hybrid working models, pressure to implement ESG regulations and interest in technologies that increase productivity, collaboration and promote workplace health are the main priorities for investors in the business services sector, according to ABSL and Colliers analyses.

The Polish office market has been undergoing a remarkable transformation over the last few years. Companies are taking responsibility for sustainable development and green offices that meet the expectations of today's employees. Today's office is in response to one of the most common challenges facing companies in the business services sector: integrating employees in order to foster a sense of belonging, which is a key element in improving engagement and efficiency. We are supported in this transformation by proven and experienced partners such as Colliers, emphasizes Janusz Dziurzyński, President of ABSL.

The strategic collaboration between ABSL and Colliers in 2024 will focus on supporting business services companies in their challenges in the area of space and work planning, coupled with providing solutions tailored to the changing needs of the market. Together with ABSL, Colliers experts will continue to work on projects in the areas of lease negotiation, location strategy, working environment and change management consulting, architectural design, new technologies dedicated to office space as well as market research. Cooperation between ABSL and Colliers will very much be focused on today's key issues - energy transition and specifically the creation and implementation of sustainable development strategies based on ESG aspects, including the decarbonisation of real estate, as well as new technologies.

"In 2024, companies will place even more emphasis on optimization as a result of the shift to a hybrid working model, which remains popular in the business services sector. The energy efficiency and decarbonization of real estate, which requires synergy between owner and tenant, will certainly remain a hot topic. Under the CSRD, some companies are already required this year to submit a non-financial report on their activities, and demonstrate their environmental impact. This will be extended to smaller companies in the following years. The fact that buildings account for almost 40% of energy consumption as well as 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, and that every company uses buildings such as offices to a greater or lesser extent, shows how much we have to do in this area. Our experts, whose expertise goes far beyond the real estate sector, are ready to support business partners in these changes and challenges by offering advice, sharing knowledge and discussing best practices" says Monika Rajska-Wolińska, CEO of Colliers Central and Eastern Europe.