OUR IMPACT
Building a Sustainable Future
The real estate sector has a crucial role to play in combating climate change and reducing their environmental impact. We recognize the importance of integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects throughout the lifecycle of our assets. As a real estate owner, we are well positioned to actively contribute to a more sustainable environment. We want to be a responsible landlord.
We aim at generating sustainable returns while aligning the business practices with environmental and social goals. We must always put the interests of our investors and clients first. We firmly believe that environmental, social and governance matters are fundamental to achieving long-term success.
1. ESG
Environment
One of our primary focuses is on energy efficiency. We evaluate and implement energy-saving technologies, promote the use of renewable energy sources, and explore on-site energy production options whenever feasible. We benchmark our portfolios against the highest EU Taxonomy and Paris Climate Agreement sustainability goals and develop the assets accordingly.
We also place emphasis on tenant engagement and encourage sustainable practices through our Green Lease clauses which we implement among our tenants. We promote efficient waste recycling and aim at increasing the recycling ratios within our properties.
We collect and monitor utility data, including energy consumption, water usage and other relevant metrics, for our assets. We are committed to ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and development of our sustainability practices.
2. ESG
Social
We encourage transparent communication with our investors, employees, and tenants.
Our success is reliant on the quality and performance of individuals in the firm working together. We have a low hierarchy and we promote an enjoyable and positive working environment with a good spirit. All employees are treated with dignity and respect and offered an opportunity to develop in their careers. We compensate our employees fairly and strive for a good balance between work and free time.
When it comes to stakeholder engagement, our primary objective is to build transparent, trust-based relationships. We meet our stakeholders with high professionalism, respect and in accordance with our code of ethics in all our business operations.
Examples on our sustainability practices
Together with leading advisors we implemented a 3-year ESG roadmap for one of our portfolios with high ambition to be a frontrunner in the brown-to-green transition. All the assets will be in the top 15% of the most energy-efficient buildings according to the EU taxonomy by 2025 and are aligning with the Paris Agreement goals on climate change.
One of our primary focus is reaching carbon neutrality in many of our portfolios. By having improved the energy efficiency of our assets and building onsite solar and geothermal energy generation we have been able to reduce the amount of energy purchased from the grid. In Finland carbon neutral energy from the grid is also very affordable and all the major cities are targeting completely carbon neutral energy grids by 2030.
All our assets either have a green certificate or are in the process of acquiring one. The most commonly used ones in Finland are LEED and BREEAM. To have these certificates has become the market standard and they are a good way to communicate the basic ESG performance of an asset. Real estate investors are now more focused EPC ratings and in many of our portfolios we are upgrading our assets to have high A to C ratings.
We have recently participated in GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark), which measures the responsibility of real estate investment companies and funds at the level of the entire real estate portfolio. Our intention is continuous development in all ESG areas and annual GRESB submission provides worthful information about our progress towards more sustainable future.
3. ESG
Governance
We are committed to doing business ethically, with the highest standards of integrity, and to maintaining a culture which reinforces and encourages this approach among its employees and business partners.
We engage leading advisors and service providers to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. We monitor and stay updated on relevant changes to such laws and regulations.
