23 Apr 2021

A high level summary of what's being discussed in recent committee meetings:

  • The Committee are working on the 5 Year Roadmap, setting out the sustainability features set to impact Real Estate before 2025. This will be launched in April.
  • The Committee are working closely with the Investor Committee and Corporate Governance Committee to include ESG & Impact Investing requirements in the Code of Practice.
  • The Committee  are liaising with the Investor Committee and Research & Information Committee on adding additional ESG & impact investing metrics to the AREF Questionnaire and Property Fund Vision. 
  • The Committee liaise with AREF’s Public Affairs Committee on ESG & impact investing policy and legislative changes AREF should be monitoring and responding to where necessary.
  • The Committee have shared with members analysis of their GRESB scores. 
  • The  Committee contributed to The IA’s Responsible Investment Framework Final Report which was published in November 2019 and will continue to  liaise with The IA on their Responsible Investment Framework.
  • The Committee, with the AREF Tax Committee, are considering whether they should lobby government for tax breaks to promote sustainability. 
  • Members of the Committee and the Public Policy Committee assisted in AREF’s response to the ESA’s SFDR RTS Consultation.

If you have any event or project ideas or specific concerns regarding ESG that you would like raised at a future meeting, please contact Katie Mitzschke (by emailing info@aref.org.uk). 

Short Term Objectives

  • Review and update ESG in AREF Code of Practice.
  • Investigate TCFD reporting once it was clear what was required in 2020.
  • Consider if an AREF ESG label was required – In conjunction with The IA’s work on a UK ESG label.

Long Term Objectives

  • Update AREF Questionnaires in relation to ESG and impact investing.
  • Educate AREF members on ESG and impact investing.
  • Ensure investment funds have been considered in any changes to legislation in relation to ESG and impact investing.
  • Influence other Committees work when relevant.

Next meeting: 7 July 2021

View more on the committee here.

Tags

Committee Update ESG

Author

Katie Jowett

Katie Jowett

Fund Manager, La Salle Investment Management

Katie is the Chair of the AREF ESG & Social Impact Investing Committee. 

Katie is a Fund Manager within LaSalle Global Partner Solutions, having joined the team in 2010.  She holds a degree in Architecture from the University of Toronto, a MSc. in Real Estate from CASS Business School and the CFA Society of the UK, Investment Management Certificate. 

As well as being Chair of the AREF ESG & Social Impact Investing Committee, she is also Chair of the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Advisory Committee and member of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative Property Working Group.

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