Investing sustainably, acting sustainably
Decentralised, inclusive, integrated: These three words describe our approach to a more sustainable future. Involving our whole team in ESG efforts right from the beginning is a key element to success. We empower our people through regular ideating and training sessions and foster a culture of interdisciplinary teamwork, unleashing full creativity to make our efforts as effective and successful as possible. This approach is based on one conviction: our ESG strategy and values must be directly integrated into our organisation and processes in such a way that our entire team lives them each and every day. In this way we create the ideal conditions to include sustainability in every aspect of our investment and management decisions. Our aspiration: to deliver successful long-term investments for our clients while generating positive value for society and the environment. By doing ESG measures that are for real.
Fostering transparency and innovation
To achieve maximum impact we integrate ESG factors holistically into our thinking. For us, substantive quality comes before superficial quantity. Thus, we concentrate on selective, highly effective measures that make the greatest possible contribution toward our ESG objectives. Achieving sustainability requires transparency and innovation. We therefore report by clear standards and we invest in new technologies that lead to a more sustainable use of resources.
Real estate is responsible for 40% of our energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU.
Identify, monitor and mitigate risks related to ESG
Become Near Net Zero by 2040 through reducing fossil fuels, relying more on renewables and compensating
Foster a Circular Economy
Households in the bottom 20% of the income distribution usually spend more than 40% of their income on rent.
Promote openness, diversity and inclusion
Support affordability of housing
Ensure tenant satisfaction & health/ wellbeing
Greenwashing has become a real reputational and business risk
Ensure good governance
Foster transparency
Adhere to reporting standards and help to further develop industry standards
Real estate is responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU.
Our approach
Physical risk assessment of MunichRE’s Location Risk Intelligence Suite as integral part of acquisition process and management over property holding period.
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| P (product level) | Munich Re | already in implementation |   |
Transitional Risk Assessment via the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitors (CRREM) assessing the stranding risk of an asset as part of the acquisition process and management over property holding period.
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| P (product level) | CRREM | already in implementation | |
Assessing the carbon footprint of our portfolios via CRREM, defining and implementing measures (if economically sensible) to reduce emissions (e.g. installation of on-site PV).
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| P (product level) | CRREM | already in implementation |  |
Madaster Innovation Partner – central digital registry of building and their materials to assess/support circularity. As innovation partner, we support the development of the platform.
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| P (product level) | Madaster | already in implementation |   |
Households in the bottom 20% of the income distribution usually spend more than 40% of their income on rent.
Our approach
Integral principle of our values-based Code of Conduct.
| Level | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|
| C (company level) | already in implementation |   |
Our residential strategies focus on the provision of housing for people with low and middle incomes.
| Level | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|
| P (product level) | already in implementation | |
Supporting social interactions in housing. Ensuring efficient ventilation, natural light, etc. Proximity to facilities and public transport.
| Level | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|
| P (product level) | already in implementation |  |
Greenwashing has become a real reputational and business risk.
Our approach
Define Code of Conduct and related processes to ensure compliance.
| Level | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| C (company level) | already in implementation |
Signatory to UN Global Compact with first disclosure in 1Q 2023.
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| C (company level) | UN Global Compact | already in implementation |   |
GARBE is a member of Europe’s leading platform for sharing knowledge of the unlisted real estate industry (INREV)
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| C (company level) | INREV | already in implementation | |
Signatory to UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| C (company level) | UN PRI | already in implementation | |
Implement ESG tool for intelligent power monitoring (Smart Meter) to ensure high ESG data coverage.
[Level P/Produktebene; Partner tbd/Zeitfenster: 2023/UN SDGs: 9 und 13]
| Level | Partner | Timeframe | UN SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
| P (product level) | TBD | 2023 | |
Initiatives and memberships
We know that we cannot achieve our heartfelt desire for a more sustainable future by working alone. This is why we rely upon specialised partners to leverage our ESG efforts and maximise our impact.
In 2022, GARBE Institutional Capital joined the Madaster network as an Innovation Partner. Madaster’s digital platform provides a central registry of buildings including the building materials and products used to enable their circular use from cradle to cradle. By recording the details of our properties in Madaster we are laying the foundation to implement important aspects of the circular economy into our investment products and strategies.
The UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is an international investor initiative with more than 5,000 corporate members. As a signatory since 2022 GARBE Institutional Capital has committed itself to systematically incorporating environmental, social and corporate governance factors into its investment decisions on the basis of the PRI’s six core principles. Starting in 2023 we will begin to report on our sustainability efforts in accordance with the Global Compact standards.
The UN Global Compact is the world’s largest and most important initiative for sustainable and responsible corporate management. The UN Global Compact Network Germany (UN GCD) encompasses more than 800 members from business, government and society. It supports companies in strategically anchoring sustainability on the basis of the Global Compact’s ten universal principles and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The European Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles (INREV) provides services and education to investors interested in the European non-listed real estate fund market. GARBE shares the goals of promoting market transparency, accessibility, professionalism and standards, as well as knowledge sharing among members and is actively contributing to Inrev in various boards and working groups. We use Inrev’s training program to actively promote governance issues within our team.