Real estate and infrastructure entities participating in GRESB’s benchmark coverage have risen by 26% this year to 2,227.
The benchmark, which measures the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of real estate and infrastructure funds, companies and assets, was up in 2021 to cover $6.4trn (€5.4trn) of assets under management despite global challenges from Covid-19.
This year, 1,520 property companies, real estate investment trusts, funds and developers participated in the GRESB Real Estate Assessment, which has been running since 2009; up from 1,229 in 2020.
The GRESB Infrastructure Fund Assessment, which was launched in 2015, grew by 26% to cover 149 funds; up from 118 last year.
GRESB data is now used by 140 institutional investors.
Sebastien Roussotte, CEO of GRESB, said: “We are pleased to see such a high level of participation in this year’s GRESB benchmark coverage, particularly considering the business disruptions we have all experienced over the past year and a half.
“Increased engagement with a standardised benchmark demonstrates a strong industry commitment to ESG transparency and collaborative action. As the risks of climate change become more pronounced, participants are making important strides in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable asset industry.”
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