Real estate sector continues to lead on sustainability: GRESB

This year’s Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) reveals that sustainability reporting has improved in coverage and quality of data, with the average overall score increasing due to increasing implementation and measurement.

The average score is now 47 (out of 100) which is up nine points this year. The benchmark collects data from 637 listed property companies and private equity real estate funds, covering 56,000 buildings with an aggregate value of $2.1 trillion.

GRESB found that collectively, in 2013, the commercial real estate sector reduced its energy consumption by about 0.8 per cent, carbon emissions fell by 0.3 per cent, and water consumption fell by 2.3 per cent.

Sustainability is assessed annually by GRESB with a focus on: executive decisions, plans and policies; performance measurement; and stakeholder engagement.

The data provided by GRESB allows pension funds and other institutional investors to incorporate responsible investment principles into their decision-making. It is a source of portfolio-level sustainability data for the real estate industry, with  more than 40 institutional investors, representing $5.5 trillion in assets under management, using it for timely, actionable information about the sustainability performance of property portfolios.

Five years after the launch of the benchmark in 2009, GRESB participation has become standard practice for many of the world’s fund managers and listed property companies. There has been a more than 220 percent increase in response rate since 2009.

Sponsored Content

To view the results click here

 

Leave a Comment

Sort content by

Alecta doubles down on governance, risk management and culture

Sweden’s largest pension fund, the $126 billion Alecta, has spent much of the last year continuing to work on improving governance, risk management, competence and culture in the wake of a $2 billion loss in 2023 attributable to investments in US regional banks, including Silicon Valley Bank, turning sour.

Japan’s trifecta of challenges

After 18 years working with Japan’s leading pension funds and asset managers Chris Battaglia, president of the Global Fiduciary Symposium in Japan, is well placed to observe the pressures on the country’s retirement system and observes its evolution. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

日本が直面する3つの課題

グローバル・フィデューシャリー・シンポジウム代表を務めるクリス・バッタリア氏は、日本の大手年金基金や資産運用会社と18年間仕事をする中で、日本の退職金制度の課題、その進化を観察してきた。 mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

A lot of regulation incoming for crypto, predicts former Fed governor

Former Federal Reserve governor Randall Kroszner argues crypto assets are mislabelled as “currencies”, and said digital currencies like China’s digital Renminbi could one day challenge the primacy of the US dollar, in a wide-ranging conversation.

Portfolios of the future

This session drew on themes of the conference and discuss with asset owners what the portfolios of the future will look like, particularly examining how investors plan to build robust portfolios to meet changing investment regimes.

Fiona Reynolds joins Conexus as CEO

Conexus Financial, publisher of Top1000funds.com, further cements its position as a global influencer with the appointment of Fiona Reynolds as chief executive.