FROM OUR CEO, JOSÉ A. LABARRA
Uncertainty has been the leitmotif of 2022, a year marked by irregular activity in many markets. At ROADIS we have felt the impact of the situation but have succeeded in consolidating our position in the industry through the efficient management of our assets, confident of the experience we have amassed in the markets in which we operate.
Today we are able to say that our post-COVID recovery is complete. Our traffic counts have exceeded pre-COVID levels, and the Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) increased by about 8% over last year. Moreover, income and EBITDA have grown by 26% and 20% respectively. In light thereof, we can safely say that the year’s performance has been positive.
However, as I mentioned earlier, the world scenario over the last year has been one of instability; for this reason, we have aligned our strategy with the achievement of our business targets in order to meet the commitment we have undertaken, both with regards to our own team and with the communities in which we operate in America, Europe and Asia. This commitment encompasses our purpose along with the attributes that define us as a company.
Infrastructure connects people, contributes towards economic development, and provides essential services; it must not, however, be considered an end in and of itself, but rather a means through which to provide services that allow society to function and economies to prosper. For this reason, the challenge in the near future is to adapt to any circumstances and unforeseen events arising from external factors, as well as to increase our active participation in society to listen and provide solutions to the demands of our stakeholders.
One of our objectives is to continue to drive our cultural model, in order to reach all tiers of the organisation. The attributes of ROADIS serve to define our roadmap; and our activity as a company is solidly built upon these four pillars: innovation, safety, ethics, and prosperity.
We have spent two years working to define the ROADIS culture and, during this time, we have confirmed that our attributes, which govern the way we work, are based on a model that is functional and responsible in terms of people, society and the environment. This is reflected in the initiatives we have implemented in this regard, both at a corporate and SBU level, as shown in this 2022 Annual Report.
Years back we spoke of ethereal and futuristic concepts which we believed would play a significant role in our day-to-day business. Today, those same concepts form part of our daily conversations, having been assimilated by us as part of a continuous learning process.
Today, sustainability has become the driver of business activity in every single industry. Fortunately, as a company, we have taken a firm step forward to cease viewing sustainability as a trend to now embrace it as a way of life. At ROADIS, sustainability is not only a strategic lever, but the common thread in our activity, the fundamental backbone of our business development.
In 2022 we concluded the first sustainability implementation phase, which culminated in the Sustainability Master Plan 2020-2022. We have faced great challenges but are keen to move ahead. To this end, we submit our policies and procedures, both internal and external, to continued revisions and updates, to ensure that they respond to the needs of our stakeholders and meet the legislative needs in each of the territories.
As part of this continuous update process, we have already defined the Sustainability Master Plan 2023-2025, following the route set out in the previous plan, meeting our commitment with the communities and establishing new targets to keep growing at a constant rate. Our sustainability strategy is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting our contribution to 8 of the 17 goals.
In addition, during this year, ROADIS is also one of the international companies that have adhered to the United Nations Global Compact and we have reinforced our commitment to the environment by approving the new Decarbonization Plan, aligned with the SBTi goals, to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
We are facing 2023 with ambition, eager to surpass the milestones achieved to date which have made us so proud. There is still a long road ahead, but we are certain we have chosen the right path, and this report stands as proof.
We are looking intently to the future, planning to continue to work in our areas of specialization and to seek projects and initiatives that will help us grow as individuals and professionals.