REIT ASIAPAC MAGAZINE REITASIAPAC SECOND- QUARTER 2021 ISSUE | Page 14

REIT ASIAPAC
Outlook

ESG : FROM AMBITION TO ACTION

By Bernie Devine , Regional Director Asia Pacific , Yardi Systems
Photo by Iva Rajović on Unsplash
How Do You Ensure Sustainable Customer Relationships Through Sustainable Outcomes ?
E-S-G . How can three little letters carry such a big burden for so many real estate companies ?
Environmental , social and governance investing has exploded over the last few years , as investors zero in on a host of issues from climate change to human rights .
Green bonds issuance tipped over the magic US $ 1 trillion mark in 2020 , according to Climate Bonds Initiative . PwC research has found that 77 % of institutional investors plan to stop buying non-ESG products by the end of 2022 . So it ’ s no surprise that pension funds and private equity firms are hiring sustainability teams to scrutinise their investments through an ESG lens .
At the same time , asset managers are upping their game . Real estate companies across the Asia Pacific are setting ambitious net-zero targets . The Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance , representing US $ 32 trillion or roughly a third of the world ’ s assets , has committed to decarbonisation by 2050 .
Millennials – the largest generation in human history to live , work and play in buildings – have identified climate change as their priority , according to Deloitte ’ s 2020 Global Millennial Survey .
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