ESG Policy of Fund Vehicles

On the fund level, our ESG strategy is systematically embedded in unambiguous guidelines and binding target benchmarks. This permits unified control of sustainable investments while ensuring that the ESG criteria are consistently taken into account, from the fund design concept all the way to the ongoing portfolio management.

• defining ESG guidelines and objectives for the portfolio composition, investment criteria and portfolio management
• striving for diversity in the executive body
• selecting business partners in accordance to knock-out criteria and in compliance with the UN SDGs
• Phased ESG plan: specifying implementation targets for the ESG measures and budget approval
• recommending minimum measures even for Article 6 funds: digitised transparency and portfolio analysis as precondition for an incremental manage-to-ESG approach
• benchmarking according to GRESB is possible and recommended

The asset manager takes on a key role in the operational implementation of our ESG strategy. Through active management and the continuous optimisation of ESG measures, the asset manager helps to achieve the environmental, social and economic sustainability objectives in efficient ways.

• Implementing the investment policy and the measures chosen for the vehicle:
  • portfolio composition according to predefined ESG criteria
  • pre-acquisition check and due diligence according to standard ESG criteria, risk analysis
  • property developments using sustainability standards, supplemented by the ESG requirements of the respective vehicle
  • prioritising ESG measures (ESG strategy according to standard phased plan)
  • monitoring standard ESG criteria within the portfolio, reporting and benchmarking where relevant
• optimising the data management, digital data sourcing and data analysing
• negotiating standard green lease provisions in accordance with the predefined ESG implementation level
• selecting business partners in accordance with ESG knock-out criteria, adhering to the UN SDGs and ILO standards
• improving the platform through market know-how and dialogue with GRESB
• practising community commitment through project sponsorship and donations
• showing responsibility as employer (transparency through Top Job citations)
• maintaining modern worker-friendly and certified offices
• applying the company motto “Responsible by Choice” as specified in our ESG policy and anchored in our employee objectives

The consistent implementation of the ESG requirements on the property level ensures that sustainable measures are not just defined on a strategic level but are implemented in concrete measures on the operational level. Here, the focus in on the efficient use of resources, climate-friendly construction and refurbishment concepts and a close collaboration with tenants and business partners.

• consistent implementation of the ESG requirements on the property level and in the acquisition process
• digital data sourcing and management to improve the identification and tracking of the ESG measures’ effectiveness
• prioritising ESG measures by implementation level, effectiveness and cost effectiveness (portfolio analysis and manage-to-ESG strategy of the vehicle)
• pursuing ESG compliant property developments
• minimising further soil sealing by revitalising brownfields and industrial sites
• analysing and preventing stranded asset risks and physical climate change risks
• implementing green lease provisions in sync with the prescribed ESG implementation level and the tenant situation
• collaborating with tenants when implementing improvements, such as e.g. waste recycling and smart energy management
• enhancing transparency through certifications on the building level (BREEAM/ BREEAM-In Use, LEED, DGNB, etc.)