Will Robson, Executive Director and Global Head of Real Estate Solutions Research at MSCI, talked to Property Forum about the assessment of environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators in commercial real estate and its emerging role in the risk management of organizations.

Radu Boitan, Investment Director at Revetas Capital Advisors talked to Property Forum about the importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, proactive asset management and investment strategies.

Hannes Wimmer, Executive Director, Loan Syndication at Erste Group Bank AG talked to Property Forum about the segments driving the property investment market and the funding focus of banks on sustainable projects. He reveals that compared to Western Europe, the CEE region is lagging a bit when it comes to financing sustainable projects, but big changes can be expected during the next 6 to 12 months.

Since 2007, when the European Investment Bank (EIB) issued the world's first Climate Action Bond (CAB), green bonds have evolved from a marketing tool into one of the fastest-growing investment vehicles. This trend is also visible in the real estate market and is expected only to strengthen, according to Colliers.

Panellists at our virtual European ESG Forum have pointed out that environmental, social and governance criteria are gaining prominence in property investment. Going forward, as ESG certifications become mainstream, securing funding for green buildings will be streamlined, according to the panellists.

Savills has forecast the key ESG, investment and leasing trends for 2022 in 36 cities around the world as part of its 2021 global Impacts research programme. The international real estate advisor predicts that, globally, tech occupiers are set to dominate leasing activity, offices will be the most popular investment sector, prime real estate yields are set to remain largely static, and Asian cities are seemingly lagging behind others around the world when it comes to prioritising sustainable investment.

Property Forum’s next free-to-attend virtual event will focus on sustainability in real estate. Environmental, social and governance factors, alongside financial factors, are playing an increasingly important role in the investment decision-making process for many companies. Leading international experts will come together at our European ESG Forum to discuss sustainable real estate strategies for the future and to provide a deeper insight by going beyond the buzzwords.

Globe Trade Center has presented its first-ever ESG report, summarizing the group’s achievements during 25 years across its six markets. The 2020 report presents data on GTC’s engagement in sustainable development, responsible construction and asset management, collaboration with local communities and responding to stakeholders’ expectations. GTC is the first among commercial developers to present an ESG report on the CEE market.

CTP announced that in its first-ever ESG Risk rating, carried out by Sustainalytics Inc., the company achieved a low-risk score of 11.0. The ESG Risk score measures the degree to which the enterprise value of a company is exposed to material financial impacts from ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors. A score of 11.0 places CTP in the lower end of the “low-risk” category, which on the Sustainalytics scale ranges from 10–20.

Cushman & Wakefield has appointed James Woodhead to head its EMEA wide Asset Services sustainability and environmental, social & governance (ESG) consultancy.