Syntrus Achmea chooses to invest in sustainable real estate that offers both financial and social returns. Our investment policies and practices are rooted in a solid Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policy. We avoid fancy language and put our money where our mouth is by making informed decisions based on tangible goals and objectives. Meaningful investing for us means helping our clients (and their clients) build a solid financial foundation and vibrant and thriving communities – now, in the near future and in the longer term.
In 2015, all 193 United Nations members adopted 17 global goals (Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs) designed to put an end to extreme poverty, inequality, injustice and climate change.
As an asset management firm, we seek to work with our investors, within the context of the local real estate and mortgage market, on helping to achieve these ambitious goals. In 2017, we therefore made a selection of the Sustainable Development Goals to which we will be committed over the next several years. In implementing our ESG policy, we are working on achieving these five Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives we have defined.
Our ESG themes will be presented in the video below:
In our ESG strategy we have defined 4 issues up to the year 2030:
1. Investing in tomorrow’s world
2. Focusing on closer relationships with stakeholders
3. Achieving highest level of services and products
4. Promoting innovation
Our ESG strategy contains 5 pillars which follow out of the business strategy of Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance:
1. We aim to make a positive impact on society by investing in liveable cities.
2. We achieve social and financial returns for investors.
3. We offer our employees a dynamic, sustainable and healthy workplace.
4. We endorse attractive and sustainable real estate.
5. We have a strong reputation asa provider of sustainable mortgages.
Learn more about our ESG strategy and our tangible goals:
In 2019, CO₂ roadmaps were created for all Syntrus Achmea’s residential portfolios.
Different scenarios were calculated to reduce the CO₂ emissions in the portfolios.
Based on these scenarios, CO₂ reduction
targets were established for 2030 and 2050, which are in line with the Paris
Agreement. The CO₂ dashboard,
delivered in 2020,
monitors the actual CO₂ emissions in
the residential portfolios. This provides insight into whether we are on course
of the agreed targets or whether adjustments are needed. In 2019, CO₂ roadmaps were
created for retail and office portfolios. These portfolios will also be
included in the CO₂
dashboard.
Two real estate funds of Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance have achieved the highest rating in the international GRESB benchmark. The Achmea Dutch Residential Fund (ADRF) and the Achmea Dutch Retail Property Fund (ADRPF) have been awarded five stars for their sustainability performance. Seven other funds and portfolios under management at Syntrus Achmea have been awarded four stars.
As in 2019, Syntrus Achmea has participated with ten funds and portfolios in GRESB, which stands for Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark. On average, the Syntrus Achmea funds scored 81 (maximum is 100). The same as in 2019. The average score of all participating funds worldwide dropped by 2.8% to 70. All Syntrus Achmea funds score higher than this global average.
GRESB has changed its scoring methodology considerably for 2020. In particular the scoring weight of the Performance Indicators (the reports on energy consumption, CO₂ emission, water consumption and waste flows) has increased significantly. The ratios within the Performance Indicators have also changed. As a result, the final results achieved are lower in general. With an unchanged methodology, the Syntrus Achmea funds would have scored an average of 6.3% higher this year.
The Achmea Dutch Health Care Property Fund has been awarded first place in the GRESB Resilience Module. This is an optional module which is separate from the regular GRESB Real Estate Assessment. In time, it will be possible to include elements from the module in the GRESB Real Estate Assessment. Of the 412 international parties that took part in the Resilience Module, Syntrus Achmea was the only one that achieved the maximum score of 100 points for the ADHCPF.
The GRESB Resilience Module assesses how real-estate funds prepare for the possible effects of climate change and how the funds assess and anticipate long-term climate trends. The 2020 Resilience Module is divided into four sections, in line with the recommendations of the ‘Task force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure’ (TCFD): Leadership and Governance, Risk Assessment, Business Strategy and Performance Metrics and Targets.
The GRESB Resilience Module addresses two dimensions of climate risks: transition and physical risks. Transition risks are risks related to the transition to a low-CO2 society, which is necessary to achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement of the UN. Physical risks are risks related to the current changes in the climate, such as drought, heat, and flooding. In addition to these two dimensions of climate risks, GRESB also takes into account the social aspects of climate change, the so-called social risks.
Syntrus Achmea is making huge strides to integrate climate risks in its business operations. For instance, road maps have been developed for all real-estate portfolios to ensure they will be CO2-neutral in 2050. The physical risks for the real-estate funds have also been mapped out.
