No, you do not have to be a GRESB Member to submit an Infrastructure Assessment. But GRESB Members have access to advanced analytical tools and services as well as increased opportunity for recognition and networking. This table highlights the additional benefits available to GRESB Members.

Become a GRESB Member

There are multiple ways to participate in the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment. Both single and multi-asset operators can participate. Possibilities for participation are explained in the following sections below. Note that these are only illustrative and other scenarios are possible. Participants with questions about specific circumstances are encouraged to contact info@gresb.com for guidance.

Single-asset operators
Single-asset operators may have one or multiple infrastructure-related business activities. These entities may be large and complex, or small and narrowly focused. The approximate fraction of each business activity should be expressed in the Entity & Reporting Characteristics section of the Asset Assessment. Single-asset operators that are subject to the same management and can aggregate performance data may report as one entity in the Asset Assessment.

Note that entities that have 75% or more allocation to a business activity will be allocated to this business activity’s applicable peer group. Examples of single-asset operators include:

• A provider of water and wastewater services
• An airport
• A telecommunications company

Multi-asset operators
In some cases one entity may operate multiple assets or projects, GRESB considers this to be a multi-asset operator. A multi-asset operator has the option to report on its operations as a group using a single Asset Assessment. Alternatively, the operator may complete an Asset Assessment on behalf of each asset or project. Examples of multi-asset operators include:

• An entity that operates several toll roads that lack local ESG management
• An entity that owns a portfolio of small wind farms
• An entity that operates a collection of distributed solar projects

Multi-asset operators that participate as one entity should have centralized management and can aggregate performance data. Note that when assets are combined into the same Asset Assessment, the entity should have an allocation of 75% or more allocation to a business activity to be assigned to this business activity’s applicable peer group.

Data is submitted to GRESB through a secure online platform and can only be seen by current GRESB Staff or authorized personnel from GRESB’s parent company, i.e. GBCI, Inc. (“GBCI”). GRESB benchmark scores are not made public. The only entities that may access a participant’s benchmark results are:

• Participant’s own organization;
• GRESB Investor Members that are investors in a participant’s fund/organization.
• GRESB Infrastructure Fund Manager Members that are investors in the asset.

No other third parties will see these results. GRESB Investor Members and Fund Manager Members must request access to a participant’s benchmark results, allowing the participant the control to either accept or deny this request.

First year participants can submit the Assessment without providing GRESB Investor Members and Fund Manager Members with the ability to request access to their results. This is referred to as a “Grace Period”.

First year participants can submit the Asset Assessment without providing GRESB Investor Members and Fund Manager Members with the ability to request access to their results. This is referred to as a “Grace Period”.

First year participants wishing to report under the Grace Period can select the option on an entity-by-entity basis from the settings section in the Assessment Portal. Participants who select the “Grace Period” option can decide to unselect the option following receipt of their results. The Grace Period is not available in the second year of participation, regardless of whether it was used in the first year or not.

The “Grace Period” allows participants a year to familiarize themselves with the GRESB reporting and assessment process. The names of participating entities are still visible during the Grace Period, but GRESB Investor Members and Fund Manager Members will not be able to request to see their results.

Grace Period participants receive a GRESB Scorecard and have the opportunity to purchase a Benchmark Report for a more in-depth analysis of their sustainability performance.

GRESB Members have access to Benchmark Reports for all of their reporting entities, whether or not they report an entity under “Grace Period”.

Our goal is to ensure you have a smooth reporting process. The Portal provides a Guidance tab for each indicator in the Assessment outlining the information to provide, we run Assessment Training sessions at locations around the world, and the GRESB Helpdesk is here to answer your questions.

In addition, you’ll find the following tools and functionality in the Portal to help you in your reporting:

• The pre-filling function adds the information you have already provided in previous years.
• The document section provides an overview of documents you have submitted as evidence.
• The Portal allows you to upload multiple documents as evidence per indicator, eliminating the need to merge different documentation into one file.
• You can manage access rights, adding users with different levels of access.
• We have implemented real-time error detection systems and warnings.
• Automated data uploads for the Real Estate Assessment are available through the GRESB Asset Portal via the Asset Spreadsheet or GRESB API.  View GRESB Data Partners who can assist with data automation.
• The Template Tool enables you to copy information across multiple submissions.

GRESB Partners can help you with your Assessment

GRESB Partners are leading sustainability consultants and solution providers who can assist you to efficiently complete your Assessment, manage ESG data and advance your ESG performance.

To identify partners who can help you, search GRESB Partners by type, region and service.

Yes, it is possible, and a separate Assessment should be submitted for each asset or fund. First, register as an individual via the GRESB Portal. Once you have registered, you will be able to add individual assets and funds to the GRESB Portal and complete a GRESB Assessment on behalf of each of those entities. 

The Assessment Portal is open from April 1 to July 1, 2019. See the 2019 Assessment timeline.

If you have any further questions, please contact us.