Responsible property investment is about more than just reducing the carbon footprint. It’s about understanding and managing external risks that may jeopardize our investments. And it’s about identifying opportunities that will protect and enhance value in the face of changing environments.
Carbon footprint
/'kär-bən 'fu̇t-print/ noun
The sum of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions - primarily carbon dioxide and other GHGs - generated by an individual, activity, company, or country.
CASE STUDY
Edge Olympic, Smart Office Building in Amsterdam
A new generation of smart buildings
- Awarded as net zero carbon by the Dutch Green Building Council Saved significant amounts of embodied carbon by building on the structure of an existing post office
- Provided access to a smartphone app, which enables users to personalise their workplace; with the possibility to customise the lighting and temperature, continuously measuring noise levels and air quality to inform choices
- Integrated healthy working with ergonomic workspaces, comprised of sit-stand tables and adjustable chairs and screens
- Promoted clean transportation by installing charging posts for electric vehicles
Source: Net Carbon Pathways, Nuveen Real Estate 2023
Glossary: A-D
Affordable housing
Housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index.
Best in class
Selecting issuers that demonstrate better ESG characteristics within a particular sector, industry or peer group, and achieve a rating above a defined threshold.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. In the context of responsible investing, living things on our planet has been declining at an alarming rate in recent years, mainly due to human activities, such as land use changes, pollution and climate change.
Board quality
Boards play a critical role in crisis management, oversight, and risk management — setting the tone at the top before incidents occur. From an investment standpoint, issues such as director independence, board composition, experience, perspectives and tenure are important because they protect shareholder value. Board composition, executive compensation, business ethics and accounting practices all reflect a board’s judgment and priorities.
Carbon footprint
The sum of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — primarily carbon dioxide and other GHGs — for a given company or group of companies comprising a portfolio. For a public equities portfolio, these emissions then are typically pro-rated in proportion to the number of shares held by each company.
Circular economy
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.
Climate change
A change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid- to late-20th century onward — especially warming — attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.
Controversial business involvement
Refers to a security issuer’s activity in an industry that can cause significant social harm. Industries include tobacco, alcohol and firearms, among others.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
A company’s efforts to evaluate the effect of its operations, processes and philanthropy on the broader community and to set policies and practices that maximize the positive impact of its activities on the company’s key stakeholders.
Divestment
The sale or disposition of securities or other assets based on corporate behavior that is not aligned with specific environmental, social and governance objectives, values or convictions. See responsible investing – other RI approaches .
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I)
Diversity: Acknowledges all the ways people differ: race, sex, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs and more.
Equity: Recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances.
Inclusion: The act of welcoming, supporting, respecting and valuing all individuals and groups.
