GRESB is the ESG Benchmark for Real Assets
Our vision is sustainable real assets. Our industry plays a critical role in creating a sustainable world – where society can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
About GRESB
GRESB was established in 2009 by a group of large pension funds who wanted to have access to comparable and reliable data on the ESG performance of their investments. In the intervening years, we have grown to become the leading Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) benchmark for real estate and infrastructure investments across the world.
Our ESG data covers US $5.3 trillion in real estate and infrastructure value and is used by more than 100 institutional and financial investors to make decisions that are leading to a more sustainable real asset industry.
We have an engaged community of managers who are proud to participate in our annual benchmarking process and a group of inspirational industry partners, data partners and ESG service providers all working towards a shared vision of sustainable real assets.
What we do
GRESB assesses and benchmarks the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance of real assets, providing standardized and validated data to the capital markets.
The Assessments are guided by what investors and the industry consider to be material issues in the sustainability performance of real asset investments, and are aligned with international reporting frameworks, such as GRI, PRI, SASB, DJSI, TCFD recommendations, the Paris Climate Agreement, UN SDGs, region and country specific disclosure guidelines.
Each year reporting to the GRESB Assessments generates the following ESG benchmarks for the industry:
- Real Estate Benchmark
- Real Estate Development Benchmark
- Infrastructure Fund Benchmark
- Infrastructure Asset Benchmark
Assessment participants receive comparative business intelligence on where they stand against their peers, a roadmap with the actions they can take to improve their ESG performance and a communication platform to engage with investors.
Investors use the ESG data and GRESB’s analytical tools to monitor their investments, engage with their managers, and make decisions that lead to a more sustainable and resilient real asset industry.
The 3 pillars that guide our work
ASSESSMENTS
Working in collaboration with the industry, we define the benchmark for sustainability performance in real assets. Our global scale means we can help track the progress being made towards a world with sustainable buildings and infrastructure.
TECHNOLOGY
Our technology platform applies best practices in data science to validate, score and benchmark ESG performance data. We provide the business intelligence needed for better decision making and the engagement tools to support a deeper dialogue within the investment industry.
STAKEHOLDERS
We convene a global community of institutional investors, investment managers, developers, REITs, asset operators, industry bodies, service providers and academics working together to achieve a shared vision of sustainable real assets.
What makes GRESB Unique
Our governance
Sound governance underpins the credibility of the GRESB Assessments.
The GRESB Board of Directors, two Advisory Boards, (Real Estate and Infrastructure) and Regional Benchmark Committees provide strategic, commercial and technical input on the assessments and solutions offered to the real estate and infrastructure sectors.
GRESB B.V. undertakes the day-to-day management of GRESB’s activities.
It is a private limited company incorporated in the Netherlands (registration number 55416071), with a registered office at Barabara Strozzilaan 101, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
GRESB B.V. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Business Certification Inc., a non-profit corporation incorporated in the United States under the laws of the District of Columbia.
Below is more detail on GRESB Staff, the makeup of the Board of Directors, Advisory Boards, Benchmark Committees and Industry Working Groups.
GRESB Staff
Regional Representative
Asia Research & Engagement (ARE) represents GRESB in Asia excluding Japan.
| Benjamin McCarron | Managing Director |
| Xinying Tok | Senior Manager |
| Jehee Moon | Junior Research Analyst |
| Timothy Tan | Operations Manager |
Board of Directors
The GRESB Board of Directors oversees GRESB’s governance. It includes one executive director (Managing Director, GRESB) and six non-executive directors. The Board is chaired by the chairman of the Board, who is the President & CEO of Green Business Certification Inc..
Three of the non-executive directors are representatives of GRESB’s Investor Members. They have special rights when voting on board resolutions to change the ”Mission, vision and identity statement”. “terms and conditions applying to the Investor Members”, “ terms and conditions applying to assessment participants” and the fee structure applying to Investor Members.
The Managing Director oversees GRESB’s day-to-day business. The non-executive directors supervise the management and performance of the duties of the Managing Director and supervise the strategic direction of the company.
The chairs of the Real Estate and Infrastructure Advisory Boards serve as observers on the Board.
Non-executive Director
Observer (Chair, Real Estate Advisory Board)
Observer (Chair, Infrastructure Advisory Board)
Real Estate Advisory Board
The Real Estate Advisory Board consists of voluntary, individual representatives of GRESB Investor Members and Industry Partners. The Advisory Board provides strategic advice and input to GRESB and, in particular, to the GRESB Board regarding its products and services related to the Real Estate Assessment.
The chairs of the Regional Benchmark Committees serve as vice chairs on the respective Advisory Boards.
| Dan Grandage | Aberdeen Standard Investments |
| Derk Welling | APG Asset Management |
| Helena Olin | AP2 |
| Kathleen Mitzschke | LaSalle Global Partner Solutions |
| Rina Lessing | CalPERS |
| Aleksandra Njagulj | CBRE Global Investors |
| Masato Kaizaki | Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) |
| Hassan Sabir | European Real Estate Association (EPRA) |
| Jorge Chapa | Green Building Council of Australia |
| Rob Simpson | Ivanhoé Cambridge |
| Peter van den Tol | Mn Services (Listed) |
| Christopher Wright | Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) |
| Marieke van Kamp | NN Group |
| Edward Trafford | NTAM (Northern Trust) |
| Olivia Muir | UBS Global Real Estate (Multi-Manager) |
| Jane Wakiwaka | The Crown Estate |
Infrastructure Advisory Board
The Infrastructure Advisory Board consists of voluntary, individual representatives of GRESB Investor Members and Industry Partners. The Advisory Board provides strategic advice and input to GRESB and, in particular, to the GRESB Board regarding its products and services related to the Infrastructure Assessment.
| Alison Schneider | Alberta Investment Management Corporation |
| Adam Kirkman | AMP Capital |
| Cameron Talbot-Stern | APG Asset Management N.V |
| Susanne Røge Lund | ATP Group |
| Joel Posters | Future Fund |
| Vincent Cassagne | Vauban Infrastructure Partners |
| Deborah Ng | Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (OTPP) |
| Nomination of representative pending | Pension Danmark |
| Brenda Kramer | PGGM Vermogensbeheer B.V. |
| Marketa Ostadalova (maternity cover for Fanny Bourdais de Charbonnier) | The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) |
| Morgan Angus | Townsend Holdings LLC |
| David Russell | USS |
Real Estate Regional Benchmark Committee
The Real Estate Regional Benchmark Committee consists of voluntary individual representatives of GRESB Members and Partners. The Committee gives commercial and technical input to GRESB regarding the content of the GRESB Assessments, other real estate products and services and on GRESB’s relationship with the global, and regional real estate sector.
| Europe Benchmark Committee | |
| Rudy Verstappen | Altera Vastgoed |
| Maximilian Kufer | AXA IM Real Assets |
| Katherine Sherwin | BlackRock Real Assets |
| James Fisher | BRE Global Limited |
| Sam Carson | Carbon Credentials |
| Fillip Elland | Castellum |
| Abigail Dean | Nuveen |
| Alexander Flueck | Swiss Life Asset Managers |
| Jane Wakiwaka | The Crown Estate |
| Clement Jeannin | Unibail Rodamco |
| Anna Denell | Vasakronan |
| Paul Stepan | Verco Advisory Services Limited |
| North America Benchmark Committee | |
| Anne Peck | AEW |
| Ari Frankel | Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. |
| Anna Murray | Bentall Kennedy |
| Karen Mahrous | Codegreen |
| Jessica Elengical | Deutsche Wealth and Asset Management |
| Rob Simpson | Ivanhoé Cambridge |
| Deborah Cloutier | RE Tech Advisors |
| Mychele Lord | LORD Green Real Estate Strategies |
| Darryl Neate | Oxford Properties |
| David DeVos | PGIM Real Estate |
| Ethan Gilbert | Prologis |
| Chris Maddern | Schneider Electric |
| Karen Jalon | The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited |
| Wayne Zorger | UBS Global Real Estate |
| Brenna Walraven | USAA Real Estate Company |
| Daniele Horton | Verdani LLC |
| Dan Egan | Vornado Realty Trust |
| Asia Benchmark Committee | |
| Robert McMickan | Aberdeen Asset Management |
| Amélie Delaunay | ANREV |
| Benjamin McCarron | ARE |
| Wincel Kaufman | Blackrock Real Assets |
| Jennifer Hsu | Blackstone |
| Peng Er Foo | CapitaLand |
| Jessica Feng | CBRE Advisors |
| James Lee | Chongbang |
| Esther An | City Developments Limited |
| Ryuichi Horie | CSR Design Green Investment Advisory, Co., Ltd. |
| Hideki Kobayashi | Japan Real Estate Asset Management Co., Ltd |
| Mark Cameron | JLL |
| Tom Miller | LaSalle Investment Management |
| Calvin Kwan | Link REIT |
| Raymond Yau | Swire Properties |
| Australia Benchmark Committee | |
| Chris Nunn | AMP Capital |
| Danny DeSousa | Brookfield Office Properties, Inc |
| Margot Black | Charter Hall |
| Rob Sims | DEXUS Property Group |
| Dave Solsky | Envizi |
| Marine Calmettes | Frasers Property Australia |
| James Vesper | Goodman Group |
| Jorge Chapa | Green Building Council of Australia |
| Nina James | Investa |
| Alicia Maynard | ISPT |
| Chewy Chang | Lendlease |
| Susannah West | Mirvac |
| Claire Berecry | NABERS (The New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage) |
| Francesca Muskovic | Property Council of Australia (PCA) |
| Amy Hogan | Stockland |
| Ben Thomas | The GPT Group |
| Matea Cehovin | Vicinity Centres |
Infrastructure Regional Benchmark Committee
The Infrastructure Regional Benchmark Committee consists of voluntary individual representatives of GRESB Members and Partners. The Committees give commercial and technical input to GRESB regarding the content of the GRESB Assessments, other infrastructure products and services and on GRESB’s relationship with the global, and regional infrastructure sector.
| EMEA Benchmark Committee | |
| Neil Krawitz | Arcus |
| Allister Sykes | Asper |
| Katherine Sherwin | Blackrock |
| Aurélien Roelens | Cube Infrastructure Managers |
| Dan Wells | Foresight Group |
| Yan Shi | GIC |
| Gioia Torresi | Hermes |
| Mary Nicholson | MIRA/Macquarie |
| Christine Sobieski | Ørsted |
| Mike Eady | University Partnership Programme |
| Valeria Rosati (maternity cover for Anne Noëlle Le Gal) | Vantage |
| Lucinda Hearth | DWS |
| Ian Nicholson | BRE(CEEQUAL) |
| Sabine Chalopin | Denham Capital |
| François Bergère | Long-term Infrastructure Investors Association (LTIIA) |
| Pablo Nuñez | GIB Foundation |
| Americas/Asia Pacific | |
| Ryuichi Horie | CSR Design |
| Leigh Gapp | Adelaide Airport Limited |
| Jon Collinge | Morrison & Co |
| Tricia Burnell | Alinda |
| Amanda Wallace | JP Morgan Asset Management |
| Adina Schwartz | Morgan Stanley |
| Josh Nothwang | WSP |
| Tony Pringle | Quinn & Partners |
| Anastasiia Bessonova | QIC |
| Anthony Gordon | AVAIO Capital |
Industry Working Groups
In addition to the Advisory Boards and Benchmark Committees, GRESB also periodically establishes Industry Working Groups to examine specific topics relevant to GRESB Assessments, products and services and to give GRESB Participants the opportunity to give feedback to GRESB regarding those topics.
The Industry Working Groups are set up on an ad hoc basis. The composition, duration, and format of the Groups depend on the topic. For the same reason, some Groups are restricted to Members and Partners within a particular region or sector.
2020 Industry Working Group Topics:
Our values
We are collaborative
Almost 10 years ago, GRESB was established by a unique collaboration of the world’s largest pension funds and academics from Maastricht University. The collaboration has grown to include leading institutional investors, companies, fund managers, asset operators, service providers and industry associations working together to solve the tough sustainability challenges facing our sector. We believe that a sustainable real asset industry will only be achieved with a collaborative and collective effort.
We are leading
Engaging closely with the real estate and infrastructure sectors, we have helped develop and define ESG concepts with a framework that has become the global standard. The GRESB Assessments show what sustainability leadership looks like for real estate and infrastructure investments and help investors and managers take actions to move in this direction. Benchmarking encourages peer comparisons which in turn drive progress toward the future we are building together.
We are dedicated
We are dedicated to providing standardized and validated ESG data to capital markets. Our work at the intersection of sustainability knowledge, analytics and software development allows us to provide data and insights that influence investment decisions of over US $5.3 trillion in real estate and infrastructure value. We’re driving ESG transparency at scale, helping investors and managers make better decisions and facilitating a market shift towards sustainable real assets.
We are transparent
We are committed to being transparent about our scoring methodologies, validation, and the governance structures and processes that underpin our Assessments. By being transparent about why investors and managers use our Assessments and Benchmarks and the methodologies behind what we do, we enable our stakeholders to decide for themselves if we can advance their sustainability efforts.
Integrity comes from our values
Integrity works on many levels at GRESB. From doing what we say we are going to do, to treating our stakeholders fairly, engaging deeply with the industry and delivering solid Assessments that investors and managers can trust.
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