GRESB confirms Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s leadership in 2019

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has been ranked global Sector Leader for 2019 by GRESB among all listed retail real estate companies worldwide for the second year in a row. The Group has also been distinguished as Sector Leader in the same category at European level.

The Group has achieved first place among its European and Global retail real estate listed peers for the second year in a row. For the first GRESB evaluation of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield as a consolidated entity, the Group has improved its score up to 94/100 from 93/100 in 2018.

“It is the first time Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has been ranked as a new Group. GRESB recognises our continued ambition to lead our sector, positively impacting both our society and the environment. Three years ago, we put in place an ambitious roadmap with our Better Places 2030 strategy. It is therefore the tireless work of our teams that allows us to be pioneers in championing sustainable practices”, said Astrid Panosyan, Group Chief Resources Officer.

Having set out the Group’s objectives in 2016 with its Better Places 2030 strategy, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield further expanded its scope in 2019 to include the United States and the United Kingdom. Each country, asset and employee is an active contributor to the Group’s ambitious and tangible CSR targets.

"We congratulate all 2019 Sector Leaders for the significant steps they have taken to manage ESG risks, identify opportunities and find ways to make positive real-world impacts. Their efforts continue to shape the future of sustainability leadership and play a critical role in creating a world with more sustainable buildings and infrastructure”, said Sander Paul van Tongeren, Co-Founder and Managing Director at GRESB.

GRESB is the global environmental, social and governance (ESG) benchmark for real estate assets. Working in collaboration with the industry since 2009, GRESB has become the leading standardised and validated ESG data provider to more than 100 institutional investors, representing over $4,500 Bn in institutional capital. Now in its tenth year, GRESB sets the standard for CSR performance in real estate assets.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is the first listed real estate company to incorporate CSR into the entire value chain and address the wide scope of indirect carbon emissions resulting from construction works, transportation, and energy consumption by tenants.