Aberdeen AM joins ISA as founding member

Aberdeen Asset Management has become the latest organisation to join the International Sustainability Alliance (ISA) as a founding member, bringing the number of founding members to 22.

ISA is a global network of corporate occupiers, property investors, developers and owners, dedicated to achieving a more sustainable built environment through better measurement and understanding of the sustainable performance of existing buildings. Its main goal is to create a database of existing commercial buildings’ environmental characteristics, enabling members to formulate sustainable strategies for their real estate. The database includes KPIs and consistent metrics that cross national boundaries. ISA is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation set up at the beginning of this year by BRE Global, working through the BRE Trust, a charitable UK research institute.

London-listed Aberdeen has assets under management of £168.8 bn (EUR 195 bn) and invests worldwide on behalf of clients across four major asset classes: equities, fixed income, property and alternatives. Martyn McCarthy, Aberdeen’s Head of Sustainability, said: ‘We recognise that delivering sustainable properties and sustainable investment returns requires measurement and performance reporting to clients beyond that of financial performance. Working with the International Sustainability Alliance, Aberdeen will be better able to benchmark the environmental performance of the buildings we manage and, through BREEAM In-Use methodologies, deliver and report to stakeholders on the sustainability of their portfolios.’

John Pike, Co-Chair of ISA said: ‘We are pleased to welcome Aberdeen to our rapidly growing group of founding members. ISA is already making a positive and influential contribution to sustainable real estate throughout the world. We have an impressive list of members, who are working together to drive forward sustainability and value in real estate.’

The closing date for organisations that wish to join ISA as a founding member is 30 November 2010. Thereafter, newcomers will be offered general membership.

The current list of founding members includes:

Aberdeen Asset Management
Alstria
APG
Astrance
Barclays
Befimmo
BNP Paribas Real Estate
Bopro
Cofra
Cório
C&A
EDF Group
Fortrus
Greenaffair
ING REIM
Iosis Conseil
Redevco
Schofield & Partners
Sonae Sierra
Standard Chartered
Unibail-Rodamco
VastNed Group