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T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Executive Address

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OPUS GLOBAL NYRT.

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Activities of the OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt.

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Industries and member companies

5

Corporate Governance

6

Commitment towards sustainability

8

Stakeholder relations

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MATERIALITY ASSESSMENT

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Methodology of the materiality assessment

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Materiality matrix

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ENVIRONMENT

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3.1. Climate change and energy consumption

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ESG Story: Energy

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ESG Story: Railway construction

24

3.2. Waste management and circular economy

30

ESG Story: Food Industry

34

3.3. Water

38

3.4. Emission of air pollutants

41

3.5. Significant effects on the ecosystem

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ESG Story: Tourism

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3.6. Environmental effect during the entire life cycle

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SOCIETY

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4.1. Responsibility related to goods and services

55

ESG Story: Heavy Industry

56

4.2. Responsible employment

63

4.3. Local communities

75

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

78

5.1. Compliance

79

5.2. Public politics

80

5.3. Indirect economic effects, taxation

81

5.4. Procurement, use of materials

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EU TAXONOMY REPORT

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GRI CONTENT INDEX

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E X E C U T I V E A D D R E S S

GRI 2-22

Dear

Reader!

We are proud to present to you the steps and achievements OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt. made in 2023 towards sustainability. This year was another challenging one for the OPUS Group due to the turbulent economic situation, but it is safe to say that, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff, we were able to successfully adapt to market changes.

Our report today is a continuation of the journey we started in 2022, which shows that we are now much more conscious about sustainability. In our first stand- alone report last year, we presented this transparently. Our aim is to ensure that OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt. provides high quality information on the Company's ESG performance and complies with regulatory recommendations and expectations.

We do not deny that sustainable thinking, operation, and reporting are highly complex and challenging tasks, and we strive to produce reports each year that are more mature and convey deeper insights. This year's ESG report therefore covers all of our significant business divisions, making it more comprehensive and in line with international GRI standards.

The Group's diversified portfolio not only makes the Consolidated Sustainability Report extremely complex, but also poses significant challenges for the company in setting appropriate sustainability targets. Some of our businesses can be considered at the forefront of sustainability, as their impact is outstanding due to their core busi- ness. One example is our Energy Division, where we want to make a major contribution to decarbonisation efforts, as we are a

S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y R E P O R T 2 0 2 3

major player in securing supply, both environmentally and socially.

We consider this division a key strategic divi- sion, as OPUS TIGÁZ Zrt. provides services to more than 1.2 million customers in Eastern Hungary alone, while OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt. provides services to around 800,000 customers. This also shows that we must not only lead the way in quality, but also set an example in terms of sustainability, given our extensive customer and partner relations, as we have a huge responsibility in this area.

Our Industrial Production Division, included in the report for the first time this year, through the development of rail transport and related training, is laying the foundations for a greener form of transport and freight delivery method.

Among the three pillars of ESG, our member companies are excelling in particular in environmental compliance, for example, in our Food Industry Division, where improvements to support the circular economy not only have a very high rate of processing of materials, but also further use of by- prod- ucts. In our Tourism Division, in addition to the continuous improvement of our quality services, we have also paid considerable attention to energy modernisation.

There is also a growing awareness in the social and governance area, but we see challenges and opportunities for further improvement, and our short-term objectives include a stronger focus on these.

We aim to continuously improve our Sustainability Report, with a view to producing a publication in line with international and national regulations in force from the beginning of 2024, which will represent a further step forward in our sustainability maturity.

In the medium term, our strategic objective remains to continue to establish and strengthen the commitment to sustainability of all OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt. member companies. We wish to push our member companies to continuously improve and deepen their sustainable mindset, while supporting them in achieving their existing sustainability goals and setting new ones. A number of successful member company initiatives encourage us to take these good practices to the group level and implement them in the operations of all our member companies.

We have identified our focus areas along the relevant themes and started 2024 with these in mind. I am positive to say that we are tackling the existing and new challenges of this year with sustainability in mind, both in our member companies and across the Group.

I am confident that by getting to know and studying this year's Sustainability Report, you too will be able to see OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt. as a transparent group that is fully committed to sustainability.

Best regards:

Dr. Koppány Lélfai

CEO

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OPUS GLOBAL NYRT.

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Activities of

OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt.

OPUS GLOBAL is currently the BSE's 5th largest capitalisation company. In recent years, the four pillars of the Company's economic activity have become Industrial Production, Energy, Tourism and Food Industry.

The companies in these four divisions have sufficiently diversified activities to ensure that both the parent company and the holding members operate exceptionally resiliently and steadily.

OPUS GLOBAL is a future-oriented, innovative, result- and quality-oriented industrial producer and service provider group. The Company's aim is to maintain and further strengthen the OPUS Group's leading position in the domestic economy.

The Group operates mainly in Hungary, with member companies operating in various regions of the country. This report covers 12 major companies belonging to the four strategic pillars of the OPUS Group, although the scope of companies is narrower than the financially consolidated scope of OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt.

In terms of sustainability reporting, it is an improvement that the ESG report for 2023 covers a wider range of companies than in the previous year, and the content of the report is based on the double materiality assessment carried out. As a result of the materiality assessment and the significant increase in the indicators presented, the report meets the requirements of GRI Standards 2021, currently the most widely used sustainability reporting standard worldwide. This improvement will also help prepare for the mandatory CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Di- rective) reporting from 2024.

The report also presents available data for 2021 and 2022 in order to show trends. The comparison is limited to a certain extent by the fact that the data for the previous years do not include the data of the parent company OPUS GLOBAL, R-KORD Építőipari Kft., RM International Zrt. and Mészáros és Mészáros Zrt.

1 2023 year-end headcount data for all companies.

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Among the Group's member companies, the 2023 Sustainability Report focuses on the companies presented below.

Industries and member companies

OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt.

The parent company as the holding centre acts as a trustee. Holding centre: Budapest

Headcount1: 17

Energy

OPUS TIGÁZ Zrt.

The company operates a 33,760 km of gas pipeline network in the Tiszántúl and Central Hungary region, supplying gas to more than 1.2 million households in 1,092 municipalities. The company's main task is to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies.

Centre of activity: Hajdúszoboszló

Headcount: 707

OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt.

The company is active as a licensed electricity distributor in the North-Eastern region of Hungary, covering 18 728 km2: it operates 26 177 kilometres of electricity network in nearly 400 towns. The company's main objective is to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply.

Activity centre: Debrecen

Headcount: 876

Food Industry

KALL Ingredients Kft.

The company produces a variety of sugar products, high quality medicinal and edible alcohol, and feed ingredients from GMO-free maize. It is one of the largest maize processors in Europe, producing mainly for export markets (EU Member States). The pilot operation of the investment, activated in the fourth quarter of 2023, is ongoing through which the Company will also produce corn starch.

Place of activity: Tiszapüspöki

Headcount: 418

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VIRESOL Kft.

The company processes wheat to produce various raw materials for further processing using world-class technolo- gies. Its main products are starch, gluten, malto- dextrin, alcohol, and feed products. The company sells its products primarily to the countries of the European Union.

Location of activity: Visonta

struction and Transport, the companies of MÁV Group and GYSEV Zrt.

Location of activity: Felcsút

Headcount: 26

RM International Zrt.

The company is a project organisation, its main activity is the implementation of the "Procurement for the development of the Soroksár (bez.) - Kelebia (border) railway line (EPC - Engineering Procurement Construction contract)". Due to its project company form, the sole customer of the company is MÁV Zrt.

Location of activity: Felcsút

Headcount: 23

Mészáros és Mészáros Zrt.

Members of the Board of Directors

Name

Corporate role

Start of term of office

Independence

József Vida

President

02.05.2022.

independent

Dr. Koppány Tibor Lélfai

CEO

02.05.2022.

not independent

Balázs Torda

Head of the Energy Division

02.05.2022.

independent

Szabolcs Makai

Head of the Food Industry

02.05.2022.

independent

Division

Ádám Détári-Szabó

Head of the Tourism Division

02.05.2022.

independent

László Görbedi

Head of the Industrial Division

02.05.2022.

independent

Zoltán Péter Németh

Head of Wamsler SE

02.05.2022.

independent

Headcount: 296

Tourism

HUNGUEST Hotels Zrt.

Hunguest Hotels is one of the country's leading hotel chains. In addition to 13 domestic locations, the hotel chain also has hotels in Montenegro and Austria, which are operated by wholly owned subsidiaries. In terms of nights spent, guests from Hungary account for almost ¾ of the total, followed by the Czech Republic (7%), Romania (5%) and Germany (4%)..

Location of activity: Magyarország

Headcount: 1471

Balatontourist Kft. and Balatontourist Camping Kft.

The group is Hungary's leading campsite operator. It operates four campsites with a total of more than 1,543 camping pitches, 76 holiday homes, 230 mobile homes, as well as caravans and furnished comfort tents. Foreigners and nationals account for 60% and 40% of the nights spent at the campsites, respectively. Most of the nights spent by foreigners were spent by German, Polish, Dutch and Czech guests.

Location of activity: Balatonfüred, Balatonberény, Révfülöp, Balatonakali

Headcount: 39

Of the company's four divisions, the most significant is utility construction, complemented by water engineering, waste management and the division responsible for works related to the Paks nuclear power plant. The company carries out works won in public tenders, and its customers are mainly government ministries (primarily the Ministry of Construction and Public Works), municipalities and utility companies.

Location of activity: Felcsút

Headcount: 127

Wamsler SE Háztartástechnikai Európai Részvénytársaság As the successor of the Salgótarján Iron Foundry and Furnace Factory, merged with Wamsler GmbH of Munich, Wamsler manufactures domestic ovens, cooking and heating appliances and metal structures, as the largest fireplace and hearths factory in the Central and Eastern Euro- pean region. In 2023, a new activity was launched, including the refurbishment and certification of household gas meters for OPUS TIGÁZ. Most of the company's products are exported (mainly to Germany, Austria and the Netherlands), but it also has a significant share of the domestic market. Location of activity: Salgótarján

Headcount: 459

Corporate governance

highlighted in this section and those, which are not covered therein.

The Group's decision making and operational decision- making is carried out by a Management Team, consisting of the CEO and the Deputy CEO's, which is also supplemented by the heads of the individual divisions.

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The members of the Board of Directors are elected by the General Meeting of the Company following a preliminary evaluation and nomination by the Remuneration and Nomination Committee. The main criteria for the evaluation are the candidate's professional qualifications, management experience, communication and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to think and manage at Group level. The independence of the candidate from the members of the Supervisory Board is taken into account during selection.

The Supervisory Board is responsible for supervising the Board of Directors with a view to safeguarding the interests of the Society.

Members of the Supervisory Board

Elected members of the Board of Directors must declare a conflict of interest, which shall cover membership in the board of directors in other companies, independence from controllingshareholders,cross-shareholdingswithsuppliers andotherstakeholders,andrelationshipswithrelatedparties.

Although the subsidiaries are separate legal entities, there is some management overlap within the divisions, particularly in the Food and Energy Divisions. As for OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt. and OPUS TIGÁZ Zrt., there has long been joint coordination and management of certain func- tions. As for KALL Ingredients Kft. and VIRESOL Kft., the merger at management level started in 2022, with the merger of raw materials procurement, general procure- ment, quality assurance, HR management and production management. The result of this process is faster decision-making and the unification of the management organisation of similar processes in both companies.

Industrial Production2

R-KORD Építőipari Kft.

The company's main activity is the construction, mainte- nance, design and licensing of railway-related equipment, telecommunications and overhead railway installations. The company's main customers are the Ministry of Con-

GRI 2-9

Our company aims to comply with internationally recognised rules and standards of corporate governance. The company's Corporate Governance Report details how the company is governed, the members of its governing bodies and management, and is also available on the @website. To avoid duplication, only the most relevant features are

Name

Tünde Konczné Kondás (Chair)

János Tima

Dr. Éva Szilvia Gödör

Katalin Keresztényné Deák

Start of term of office

Independence marking

02.05.2022.

not independent

02.05.2022.

independent

02.05.2022.

independent

11.11.2022.

independent

2 For the purposes of this report, the trio of R-KORD Építőipari Kft, RM International Kft and Mészáros & Mészáros Zrt. will be referred to as the construction companies.

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Commitment to sustainability

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The OPUS Group is committed to sustainability, working to preserve the planet and its resources for future generations and to use them in a sustainable way. Today, it is clear that sustainable development and a sustainable future require immediate action. The financial world, and stock exchange companies in particular, have a key role to play.

The Company contributes to the creation and maintenance of a redefined society and environment through its forward-looking thinking, continuous development of the technologies used and the quality of its services, and its responsible attitude.

A key priority in the Company's strategy is to set a sustainable operating and growth path, both economically and in terms of human and environmental resources, by identifying efficiency improvement points. The Group's objective is to exploit the short-term potential of sustainability also at the level of its subsidiaries, which can also provide a competitive advantage in the market by integrating it into its business strategy.

A well-managed company must have a long-term vision that integrates its responsibility to society and the environment with its efforts to explore new opportunities. Sustainability is addressed at a central, strategic level within the Group. The aim is to operate an ESG model, developed year on year, which also provides guidance on how member companies can support each other through joint commitments, sharing best practices, meeting future ESG-induced developments in a scale- and cost-effective way.

The Board of Directors plays a role of opinion and approval in the preparation of the organisation's sustainability documents (policies, objectives, report). The Board of Directors is aware of the importance of ESG compliance and therefore gives it the same weight as economic decisions. The organ- isation's ESG performance is reviewed annually, in parallel with the reconciliation of the annual accounts. The sustainability report is approved by the Board of Directors.

The Remuneration and Appointment Committee shall propose to the General Meeting the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors, the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee.

The rules on the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors, the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee shall be determined by the General Meeting at the same time as the approval. According to the remuneration policy of the organisation, the members of the highest governance body receive a fixed honorarium, while the top management receives a fixed remuneration. In addition, they are not subject to variable remuneration arrangements. The level of their remuneration is not directly linked to the ESG per- formance/figures of the organisation. The resolutions of the General Meeting are available on the Company's website.

The majority of the members of the Board of Directors are so-called division managers and are responsible for the division they manage. This responsibility requires them to have a comprehensive knowledge of their respective busi- ness, including its sustainability aspects.

At the same time as the annual accounts are approved, the General Meeting of Shareholders issues a discharge to the Board of Directors on the basis of which the members of the Board of Directors have acted primarily in the interests of the organisation.

In 2023, an ESG project team was established, led by the Deputy CEO of OPUS GLOBAL Group Governance Director- ate. He is responsible for the delegation and dissemination of tasks to the Board of Directors. ESG/sustainability tasks are managed by the member companies within different organisational frameworks, with the different business areas responsible for specific areas of sustainability. Each member company has appointed an ESG coordinator for the preparation of the sustainability report. Reporting is typically done as part of the quarterly general reporting to the parent company.

Stakeholder relations

GRI 2-29

Due to the diversity and size of OPUS GLOBAL Nyrt's port- folio, the Group's stakeholders are also broadly diversi- fied. The member companies independently determine the stakeholders to whom they are committed, as well as the purpose and method of contact. Examples of these are presented below. For some member companies, the definition of stakeholder groups is based on legal obligations, contractual obligations, local and market conditions. The characteristics of the commitment towards the relevant stakeholder groups are described below.

Owners, shareholders

The parent company ensures meaningful engagement with owners through investor relations. Ongoing and detailed information is provided to shareholders in the form of reports and disclosures, as well as by e-mail and telephone.

The member companies report regularly to the parent company on the performance and data of the company, and communication is continuous. The aim is to better meet the owners' expectations and to obtain approval for major proj- ects.

Buyers, final consumers

Due to the diverse portfolio, customers and clients are very different in each sector, so the purpose and the way of contacting them is also different. In the Energy Division, the aim of customer relations is to maintain a high level of energy service and security of supply, and companies publish their business rules and ensure regulatory compliance. In the Food Industry Division, the aim is to find the most suitable market needs and customers, and the sales department is responsible for contacts with customer groups. In the Construction Division, the aim is to work more efficiently and economically, and there is constant communication, with weekly and sometimes daily meetings. In this sector, customers are not the same as the end-consumers, with whom the divisions have no contact. In the Tourism Divi- sion, mutual compliance and satisfaction are measured by direct enquiries, questionnaires, negotiations. The proper handling of customer complaints is important for all mem- bers.

Suppliers

The Group has a wide range of suppliers and subcontrac- tors. The companies in the Energy Division in contact with suppliers whose economic, social and environmental performance is satisfactory and who are HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) pre-certified. In the Food Industry, companies aim to purchase cereals with the right quality parameters and with as little environmental impact as possible. The companies are also present at various events in order to address farmers. The companies are also in contact with purchasing companies.

Employees

The Group also pays particular attention to its employees, and practices are described in detail in the Responsible Employment chapter. The Group pays particular attention to employee satisfaction and engagement to develop sense of belonging, foster community and promote a

ing employer image. At group level, it is important to work more efficiently and economically. In order to find the right workforce, companies in the Food Industry Division are also in contact with the local government employment department and are present at job fairs.

Authorities-governmental bodies

The Company's objective is to comply with the law, the expectations of the authorities and, as for OPUS GLOBAL, the expectations of the BSE (Budapest Stock Exchange). To this end, it seeks to maintain a cooperative relationship with these bodies. The member companies of the energy group work closely with the emergency services to ensure a secure energy supply.

Local communities

The companies are working to build a collaborative relationship with local communities, with several member companies working with local organisations. Some companies also support communities through social engagement. In the tourism industry, joint initiatives are being implemented to strengthen the marketing of the local community and to improve the companies' performance. In the energy industry, local forums and information also play an important role.

Natural environment

The protection of the natural environment means environmental protection activities, in particular by complying with legal requirements. The practice of companies in the energy industry is outstanding in terms of cooperation with the National Park Authorities (see Environment chapter).

Educational institutions

Several companies cooperate with educational institutions in order to ensure the supply of new recruits and to improve the knowledge transfer between industry and education (for more information, see the section on Responsible engagement).

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2 MATERIALITY ASSESSMENT

Methodology of materiality assessment

GRI 3-1,3-2

!

List of potenti-

Evaluation of

Validation by

ally important

topics

stakeholders

topics

• Compilation of a list of potentially rele-

• ESG impact and financial impact as-

• The list of relevant topics is reviewed

vant topics for the member company/

sessment.

and validated by external and internal

business based on the following in-

• Using the scoring, the topics can be

stakeholders.

puts:

plotted on a matrix.

* GRI and SASB standads guidelines

* National and international bench-

marks

* Internal operational characteris-

tics of the company

* Expert experience, opinion

• Validation of the completeness of the

list by member companies in the con-

text of ESG workshops.

The Group has identified its material sustainability issues by carrying out a double materiality assessment (impact materiality and financial materiality).

The identification of relevant topics started from the divisional level (Energy, Food, Tourism, Industrial Production), thus ensuring that all relevant topics covering a wide range of economic activities are identified.

The environmental and social impact (materiality) of potentially significant issues was assessed by external ESG experts on a three-point scale (low-medium-high). The ex- perts' opinions were summarised by averaging.

In the context of the divisional ESG workshops, representatives of the member companies, with the support of con- sultants, were familiarised with the content of potentially relevant topics and had them validated. In the context of these workshops, the member companies' representatives assessed the actual or potential business and financial impact of each sustainability topic on companies (financial materiality), also on a three-point scale.

A topic was considered relevant if it was rated "high" on at least one of the dimensions. Material themes for OPUS Group companies were identified following the touch validation of the member company materiality matrices.

The results of the materiality analyses of the member companies were validated for impact relevance by involving the main stakeholders of the respective member compa- nies. In the questionnaire, 51 respondents (around half of the respondents) expressed their views from the following stakeholder groups: employers, suppliers, customers, local

communities and industry experts.

Respondents typically agreed with the results of the materiality analysis and did not raise any new issues. For one topic, the materiality level was slightly reduced, but the topic still remained relevant.

As a general rule, the consolidation of the affiliate materiality matrices has been based on the inclusion of material issues that are found to be material for at least three divi- sions, taking into account the size of the affiliates. There were two cases where this consolidation principle was departed from:

  • Impacts on ecosystems: although the topic is relevant for at least three divisions, it is not relevant for the oth- er member companies and is therefore reported only for companies in that three divisions.
  • Water management: the topic was included as a rele- vant issue for two divisions, but the scale of the impact justified its relevance at group level.

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1 1

Business priority

3

G H

Product

PSS

and service

H I

safety

Fair

Energy consumption /

ECE

FE

efficiency

employment

Health and safety

2

HSW

PP

Public policy

at work

Indirect

economic

IEE

Effects

M

CEO

Compliance /

ethical operation

U

Climate change mitigation

GHG

I

D

and GHG emissions

M E

Waste management and

Environmental

circular economy

impact of

products

Non-discrimination,

Climate Change

WMC

1

Air pollutants

Environmental

equal opportunities

adaptation

EAP

aspects of procurement

WOL

Securityof supplyfood

Protection of

Local communities emission

customer data

WM Water management

Marketing and

Effects

SIP

information

Network resilience

Environmental

on ecosystem

Social

and security

implication of purchasing

Available

of supply

impact of buildings

energy

Device integrity and critical incidents

GMO

Consumer (end-user)

00

management

Efficiency

1

2

3

L O W

M E D I U M

H I G H

ESG impact

Materiality

matrix E S G

Material topic

Topic description, content

Environmental impacts of

Environmental pressures during procurement, environmental impacts of suppliers.

procurement

Expectations, assessments, environmental risk management.

Social implications of

The social impact of procurement. Expectations, evaluations, managing social risks.

procurement

Compliance / ethical operation

Fair competition, anti-corruption, legal compliance, ethical business conduct.

Energy consumption efficiency

Energy consumption from sustainable sources, the extent of energy consumption,

how energy consumption is measured, energy efficiency and intensity.

Waste management and circular

Waste management methods, technological changes to prolong the life of products,

economy

recovery of by-products, reduction of waste.

Climate change mitigation and

Combating climate change and reducing emissions.

GHG emissions

Public policy

Political support and lobbying.

Indirect economic effects

Significant investments in infrastructure and subsidised services. Current or ex-

pected impacts on communities and the local economy.

Health and safety at work

Occupational safety and health, risk assessment.

Product and service safety

Regulations, compliance and related company practices relating to the health and

safety impacts of products and services.

Fair employment

Employee turnover, training, performance appraisal, work-life balance, decent living

wage.

Water management

Water extraction, water use and waste water discharge. Protection of natural wa-

ters.

The list of relevant issues at company group level was validated by the OPUS GLOBAL project team and then by stakeholders. Stakeholder views were sought through a telephone interview. Stakeholder groups involved: media representatives, regulators, NGOs, owners and investors, creditors. Stakeholders agreed on the main issues identified at group level. The group-level materiality matrix was approved by the Board of Directors of OPUS GLOBAL.

Material issues at Group level are reported for all member companies covered by the report.

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In addition to the topics that are relevant at group level, we have identified topics that are relevant only in the context of a division. In this report, these topics are presented specifically for these member companies.

Topics related to divisional and member level:

  • Air pollutants emission: Food Industry, Wamsler
  • Climate change adaptation: Food Industry
  • Effects on the ecosystem: Energy, R-KORD, RM Inter- national and Mészáros és Mészáros in Industrial Pro- duction
  • Non-discrimination,equal opportunities: Tourism
  • Environmental impact of buildings over the life cycle: Energy, Industrial Production
  • Marketing and information: Tourism
  • Available energy: Energy
  • Asset integrity: Energy
  • Network resilience: Energy
  • Protection of customer data: Energy.

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3 ENVIRONMENT

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3.1. Climate change and energy consumption

Energy consumption and climate change mitigation

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The below members of the OPUS Group have significant energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission:

  • az energetikai szektor vállalatainak,
  • az élelmiszeripar szektor vállalatainak,
  • a turisztikai vállalatoknak,
  • valamint a Wamslernek.

These companies also consume energy in connection with production and the provision of services; energy consumption and its impacts are managed at a strategic level, with an energy management system (EgIR - ISO 50001) and an environmental management system (KIR

- ISO 14001).

The policies of the management systems include the com- panies' commitment to energy management, which can be found on the company's website and on the sites. The management systems are the framework for setting objectives and monitoring their achievement.

The other members of the group - OPUS GLOBAL parent company, R-KORD, RM International, Mészáros és Mészáros

  • have small internal energy consumption and related GHG emissions, which are only due to the operation of their of- fice activities and therefore do not have a management system in this area.

The emphasis on energy management is reflected in the fact that the group-level results and targets are summarised in a management letter and detailed in the preparatory materials and reports accompanying the annual reports. The Group-wide business plan from 2024 onwards includes energy management targets.

Within the Group, the companies' efforts to reduce climate change and greenhouse gas emissions are framed by activities to meet energy and water management targets and air pollution standards. A separate strategy to mitigate climate change was not formulated by the member compa- nies. Among the member companies, KALL Ingredients has specific GHG emission reduction targets directly related to climate change mitigation.

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For companies providing tourism services, the monthly monitoring report includes the results of regular GHG testing.

The largest energy consuming subsidiaries have energy management decision preparation groups (EgIR group), which monitor the indicators set by the company on a monthly basis and present them to the management of the subsidiary several times a year. The companies also define their energy performance for a given activity or production line, assess it on the basis of energy performance indicators (EgTM) and set targets in relation to them.

VIRESOL and KALL Ingredients are also carrying out energy risk assessments. In 2023, several member companies held awareness-raising programs and trainings, shared news and posters to attract the attention of the employees regarding the opportunities for sustainable energy use.

GRI 302-1

The cumulative energy consumption of the member companies of the OPUS Group did not change significantly in 2023 compared to the previous year. The significant increase in fuel consumption compared to the previous year is due to the consumption of new construction companies included in the report. A methodological change is that more energy sources are accounted for differently in 2023 than in previous years.

Energy consumption in food companies accounts for more than 87% of energy consumption. VIRESOL uses a significant amount of steam for production, with energy consumption reduced by 5000 GJ in 2023. VIRESOL used to use natural gas to a significant extent, but from 2023 onwards it will use steam energy produced from waste heat (814,000 GJ), thus reducing the environmental footprint associated with energy use significantly. KALL Ingredients is the company with the highest energy consumption today, and its consumption has decreased significantly, by about 100,000 GJ, mainly due to the reduction in the amount of natural gas.

At group level, the savings are not shown compared to the previous year because this report covers a wider range of companies than the 2022 report. The savings are offset by the fuel and natural gas consumption of RM International, Mészáros és Mészáros and R-KORD.

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OPUS Group energy consumption (GJ)

2021

2022

2023

Energy consumption within the company

3 126 534

2 862 437

2 887 525

Direct energy - non-renewable

Petrol

3 944

5 377

54 287

Diesel

69 470

70 391

94 347

Natural gas

1 603 598

1 382 501

1 064 423

Other

0

0

181

Direct energy - renewable

Biogas

0

0

8052

Technical Alcohols

0

0

36978

Indirect purchased energy

Electricity

813 057

755 535

769 591

District Heating

n.a

na

19 500

Steam

694 613

705 512

815 974

Cooling

15 266

18 889

0

Indirect energy from own production

Solar energy

0

0

24 191

For 2021 and 2022, district heat and natural gas are given together, for these years the consumption of district heat is included in natural gas. Cooling is classified as a different energy source in 2023.

In 2024, the member companies of the OPUS Group implemented a number of investments and measures to reduce their energy consumption.

By 2023, Energy Division identified 10 energy management improvements. Most of the targets were met, with some to be completed in early 2024. The energy consumption indicators for OPUS TITÁSZ and OPUS TIGÁZ are determined by three major items: the heating of buildings, the fuel consumption of the vehicle fleet and the energy consumption of transformer substations and cathode stations. These items are also the most important in terms of pollutant emissions.

For real estate, an important result for OPUS TITÁSZ is that the operational electricity consumption of substations, which are essential for the electricity service, is decreasing. As for OPUS TIGÁZ, the replacement of old cathode stations with more modern equipment led to significant efficiency improvements. In 2023, a total of 15 cathode stations with an efficiency of 40-60% were replaced with remotely controllable corrosion protection power supplies with an efficiency of 92%. The more modern stations will also help extend remote monitoring, thereby reducing the mileage associated with maintenance. With the further development of remote monitoring, the data related to monthly measurements and inspections, as well as the necessary adjustments, can be carried out remotely by colleagues in around 80% of the cathode stations without the use of a car.

ardous gases. In addition, the possibility of expanding the methodology of network monitoring is being explored. The energy consumption of the Group's buildings is decreasing, thanks to the energy awareness of employees and partners and energy efficiency investments. The modernisation of the vehicle fleet is under way, with the replacement of a large proportion of diesel vehicles with petrol and the purchase of EURO6 vehicles. As a result of the insulation of buildings, the aim is to further reduce the operating hours of heating and air conditioning equipment in 2024.

In 2023, biogas producers will be consulted on the reception network. Thanks to their conscious decisions, the combined GHG emissions of the two countries were reduced by almost 40% compared to 2022.

Food Industry Companies also implemented several projects aimed at reducing energy use. Among the energy-intensive processes at KALL Ingredients, significant electricity use is involved in corn refining, low-energy processes and the D95 sugar line. Other significant users of natural gas include maize germ drying, CGF and gluten drying, starch milk conversion, alcohol distillation and starch dry- ing.

KALL Ingredients has set a clear GHG emissions target: to reduce Scope 1 GHG emissions by 29% and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 4.5% by 2028 compared to 2019.

Total energy consumption (GJ) within the company

64 739

4 049

23 655

87 231

2 155

122 479

54 661

1 274 579

2 967

1 251 011

R-KORD

RM International

Wamsler

Mészáros és Mészáros Hunguest Hotels Balatontourist Balatontourist Camping KALL Ingredients

VIRESOL

OPUS TIGÁZ and OPUS TITÁSZ together

In 2024, OPUS TITÁSZ plans to complete the replacement of analogue thermostats with digital ones, which will be programmed to reduce the energy consumption of substations. At OPUS TIGÁZ, the refurbishment of the gas receiving stations is ongoing.

The company considers the monitoring of natural gas leakage to be essential and is also included in its environmental objectives. Currently, the amount of natural gas leaking is low and the company places great emphasis on keeping it that way, for which an extraordinary network audit has been ordered in 2023. OPUS TIGÁZ is also responsible for the monitoring of gas concentration indicators and measuring instruments. They help to ensure that safe instruments are used by carrying out tests and calibrations to verify the suitability of gas concentration measuring instruments. Their aim is to control the adequacy of the instruments used through a monitoring and calibration process, and technological progress will further help prevent the release of haz-

1 Expressed in natural gas equivalents

The company has been using renewable energy sources, including energy-saving technologies for many years. Biogas accounts for around 2.5% of natural gas consumption and technical alcohol for 1.5%. The environmental impact is also reduced by modifying the dust separation process in the sugar refining technology line by installing dust filters instead of cyclones. In 2023, more efficient preheating of the RO water used in the sugar plant will reduce steam consumption and thus the use of natural gas in the plant. The saved amounted to 6530 GJ/year1. Energy savings have also been achieved by heating the natural gas transfer station with an internal hot water circuit system and by preheating the molecular sieve regeneration stream in the alcohol plant with anhydrous al- cohol. Their savings audited in the EKR - Energy Management Support System - are equal to 1,127 tonnes of CO2.

The reduction in energy consumption at KALL Ingredients exceeds the total consumption of natural gas in 2023 for all the other companies in the group's divisions.

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The factory will continue to reduce its specific energy consumption in 2024. It will diminish the specific natural gas consumption of CGF and gluten dryers by treating the fibre enzymes with wet separation. The installation of a material -to-material heat exchanger will also reduce the specific steam consumption of alcohol production. It will also partly switch to frequency converter operation and control of the instrument air compressors and the cooling water circulating pumps, as well as the alcohol plant mash column pumps, and will aim to reduce heat losses in the alcohol plant. At KALL Ingredients, biomass boilers will come on stream in 2025 and a "heat cube" system will be intro- duced, which will also lead to GHG emission reductions. Preparations for the project started in 2023 and are currently underway.

From 2019 onwards, KALL Ingredients has detailed environmental footprint calculations and values, analyses and short- and medium-term targets. It tracks energy- specific values for the entire factory and for each production line and has an environmental footprint calculation for each product on a kgCO2e/tds (dry matter) basis, in line with the ISCC Directive. The calculation includes Scope 1, Scope 2 emissions data, and from Scope 3 data the environmental footprint of raw materials and their inputs, the environmental footprint of excipients and the environmental footprint of raw water2.

Specific energy use is fundamentally influenced by the capacity of the factory, and targets have been set to ensure that this is achieved through continuous improvement. The target for 2023 was not met due to the market environment.

At VIRESOL, the installation of the feed flat storage has increased electricity consumption, while several energy saving investments have also been made. At the DDGS dryer, about 5% of the natural gas used was replaced by biogas. In addition, two further energy improvements started in 2023, increasing the company's energy consumption from renewable sources.

By 2023, VIRESOL achieved one of its major energy management objectives, the monitoring of critical plant parameters listed in the energy risk assessment. It has fixed a specific maximum for all secondary energy and set a target to ensure technical and operational conditions that will allow an increase in biogas use. At least 75% of the biogas produced in the anaerobic reactor of the wastewater treatment plant will be used for energy purposes. These objectives were achieved by the end of

the year, with biogas energy recovery unit being in operation since December 2023.

The 2024 plan for VIRESOL is to measure the use of electricity uptake per consumer and to finalise energy targets and action plans.

The energy efficiency measures taken so far have resulted in a significant reduction in the environmental footprint in both Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon dioxide equivalents, with a 15% reduction in Scope 1.

The Tourism Division is made up of companies with very different profiles in terms of energy management.

Campsite operation and camping are low-carbon tourism activities, which by their very nature have environmentally friendly characteristics that companies are committed to preserving for the future. This low-impact approach is combined with an environmentally aware clientele. The holiday homes offer an alternative to caravan holidays and there is a growing demand for this type of holiday. The operation of hotels with large capacity and extensive wellness facilities is a much more energy-intensive activity. Hotel pools, restaurants and wellness areas all have high energy requirements.

In both these areas, member companies are implementing energy efficiency investments and measures. In sev-

eral campsites, traditional light bulbs have been replaced by LEDs, solar-powered lighting has been installed, work has been done on motion-sensor lighting, and energy consumption is expected to be reduced by the installation of electric boilers and condensing boilers. Companies plan to use more and more renewable energy sources, and in 2023 the pool at Füred campsite was renewed with a heat pump. In 2024, Hunguest Hotels will introduce systems to reduce the energy consumption of their guests. In addition to the average temperature, a measure of reduced energy consumption per room will be introduced. In 2023, four hotels invested in solar panels. In addition, three hotels (Hunguest Saliris, Napfényfürdő Aquapolis Szeged, Hunguest Szeged) have also implemented the use of waste heat from thermal water for energy purposes. The company plans to heat several buildings in the future and to apply energy-saving solutions in the renovation of buildings, including the insulation of the facades and roofs of two hotels in 2023. In six hotels, pools have been fitted with blankets to protect them from cooling at night.

The replacement of traditional light bulbs with LEDs was completed in 2023 for both guest rooms and offices in all the hotel chain's establishments. Scope 1 GHG emissions in the Tourism Division are significant in hotels, slightly up compared to 2022.

At Wamsler in 2023, enamelling used up again the most natural gas, whereas sheet metal processing was responsible for the most electricity consumption.

In 2023, an energy-saving development was the direct heating of enamel storage cups, which will save significant amounts of natural gas. The company has installed heating cables and insulation in the drinking and hot water systems within the production hall to protect against freezing, eliminating the need for tempering heating of the entire enamelling plant during off-peak hours. The company also connected a solar collector in the year. The electricity savings from the measures and investments planned for 2023 amount to 4,050 GJ, an energy reduction equivalent to the average annual consumption of 445 Hungarian families.

2 A Scope 3 számítás csak a termékek kiszállításának környezeti lábnyomát nem veszi figyelembe.

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Opus Global Nyrt. published this content on 24 April 2024 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 24 April 2024 12:53:03 UTC.