Growing levels of reporting activity in the GRESB Portal
It’s inspiring to see the growing levels of activity in the GRESB Portal as real estate and infrastructure managers login to participate in the 2020 Assessments. This ongoing commitment to ESG transparency and benchmarking by so many in our industry is vital to reshaping the markets and ensuring a more sustainable and resilient future for all.
The reporting deadline this year is August 1, 2020, which means there are still 5 more weeks to complete your Assessment. If you haven’t started, it’s time to login to the Portal and get your reporting underway. We’re here to help so please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions and feedback.
Just released: Open source ESG due diligence tool for Infrastructure Assets
We have just released a stand-alone, open source ESG due diligence tool (ESG DD Tool) for infrastructure assets with B Capital Partners AG. The tool will give investors a clear understanding of the ESG risks and opportunities of an asset as an input to investment decision making.
Investors have been searching for guidance, transparency and quality in this area and the tool will help to establish a standard ESG due diligence process for infrastructure investing. The tool is open-source, flexible and can be adapted for individual use cases.
Assessment training update and survey
Two new videos are available in the online training courses, Data Confidentiality and Response Check. You can navigate to the lessons via the below links if you are logged in.
Real Estate:
Infrastructure:
Online Training Feedback – We need your help!
This is the first reporting cycle that we have provided online training. We are eager to hear what you think so that we can improve our offerings next time around.
Will you help us out by taking this 5 minute survey?
Have you considered a Response Check?
The Response Check is a careful review of your Assessment response followed by a 1-hour discussion call and feedback report. It’s designed to help ensure your Assessment is as complete as possible and is particularly useful for new participants.
You can purchase a Response Check in the Portal at any time after starting your Assessment. Head to the GRESB Shop via the 2020 Assessment page to set up your Response Check. You will receive a confirmation email with more details and the steps to take to schedule your call.
The updated deadline to request a Response Check is July 1, 23:59 PDT. Calls will take place between June 1st and July 24th and it is not uncommon for requests to surpass availability.
ESG comes to the forefront
The Covid-19 pandemic is amplifying the importance of ESG around the world, with investors finding that portfolios that incorporate sustainability perform better and are more resilient in times of uncertainty and change. Looking forward, it’s clear that more and more of the world’s capital will be focused on the climate crisis and delivering the SDGs.
Now, more than ever, we need high quality data on ESG performance so that we can better navigate the road ahead.
Thank you for participating in this collective effort.
GRESB
Upcoming webinars
How ESG Data Drives Business Risk and Opportunity | June 23
Join Neil Pegram to learn why investors have come to believe that ESG factors really matter, how asset managers actually use the ESG data they receive, how to overcome challenges in collecting and reporting ESG data, how ESG drives business risk and opportunity, and more.
GRESB & Mace Group: Structure and improve your ESG Data and sustainability | June 26
Join Mace Group and GRESB’s Steven Pringle for this webinar on how the GRESB Assessments can help you structure your ESG data and improve your sustainability (Spanish and English)
Impact of ESG on Commercial Real Estate Financing – A joint webinar by BOMA China and GRESB | June 30
Xinying Tok, GRESB Asia Representative will cover topics such as the Global and Asia ESG growth trend, ESG investment value, and GRESB green finance case studies. (Chinese)
GRESB Canada Member Calls | co-hosted by REALPAC 2020 | July 14
Join fellow Canadian real asset companies who are participating in this year’s GRESB Assessment in a series of open conference calls. GRESB and REALPAC co-host an open call-line for active participants to discuss challenges, gain support, hear latest updates, and generally share in the assessment process.
Now on GRESB Insights
Last month, GRESB Insights featured articles and case studies on the topic of Resilience & TCFDs. Check out the articles submitted by the following GRESB Partners:
Resilience and TCFD’s | Greengage Environmental
Why it pays to consider the environment: Joining the dots between climate risk and biodiversity gain Greengage Environmental
Resilience as a business opportunity – A practical approach to improve property preparedness | Quinn & Partners
TCFD: A framework to communicate and mitigate climate risks | Carbon Intelligence
Planetary Health is Human Health is Economic Health | International WELL Building Institute
Embracing TCFD – Turning Crisis into Opportunity | Allied Environmental Consultants Limited
TCFDs and Resilience | BRE
Green, sustainable, resilient properties & financial disclosures | U.S. Green Building CouncilThe Climate Financial Revolution | EVORA
What GRESB is reading
“There probably is more carbon dioxide in the air now than at anytime in 3 million years.” Washington Post: Earth’s carbon dioxide levels hit record high, despite coronavirus-related emissions drop
“Thanks to covid-19, these woolly risk factors are in the limelight.” Economist: ESG investors get their heads around social risks
“Social equality issues must be part of sustainable development agenda.” The Guardian: Covid-19 pandemic is ‘fire drill’ for effects of climate crisis, says UN official
“We still have the same cars, the same power plants, the same industries that we had before the pandemic.” NY Times: Emissions Are Surging Back as Countries and States Reopen
“Miyawaki forests are denser and said to be more biodiverse than other kinds of woods.” The Guardian: Fast-growing mini-forests spring up in Europe to aid climate
“We’re pretty sure the climate change-related damages associated with extreme events have been underestimated in most assessments of the social cost of carbon,” The Guardian: Climate crisis to blame for $67bn of Hurricane Harvey damage – study