Sustainability has been an integral part of Deka Immobilien for many years and shapes everything we do. Deka Immobilien pursues its own sustainability strategy in line with the Deka Group’s overarching sustainability strategy, based on the guiding principle “Sustainable together. With good reason.”
As the Deka Group’s real estate specialist, our aim is to be a leading provider of products with sustainability features. In doing so, we attach great importance to sustainable standards and take our responsibility towards future generations seriously. Our fiduciary mandate obliges us to manage our investors’ funds by pursuing economically, environmentally and socially sustainable business practices. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria are consistently incorporated into our investment and management decisions as well as into our corporate strategy.
Mitigating global warming is a key challenge for us. The real estate sector plays a pivotal role in this, as it has the greatest impact on the 'E' (environment) pillar of ESG: properties account for around 40% of global energy consumption and 30% of CO₂ emissions.
This is why our approach to sustainability places particular emphasis on environmental measures. With our portfolio of over 550 properties, we have significant leverage and can make a substantial contribution.
Our aim is to reduce the environmental footprint of our properties continuously through innovative solutions, and to operate in a climate-neutral manner by 2050.
As a responsible company, we not only focus our sustainability strategy on combating climate change, but also attach great importance to adapting to its consequences. Why is this important?
In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a climate-neutral economy, the reality of climate change requires us to prepare for its unavoidable consequences. Extreme weather, rising temperatures and changing environmental conditions affect both society as a whole and the real estate sector directly. That is why we are strengthening our real estate's resilience and developing strategies to adapt to increasing climate‑related challenges. At the same time, we are minimising risks by performing targeted analyses and enacting preventive measures.
We take responsibility for the environment and the climate – today and for future generations.
We think in terms of life cycles and act in a way that conserves resources.
We rely on innovations to sustainably solve ecological challenges.
Our aim is to limit global warming to below 2 °C based on pre-industrial levels in accordance with the Paris Agreement and to achieve climate neutrality for all our business activities and our entire portfolio by 2050. In doing so, we aim to balance the greenhouse gases our activities emit and those we sequester or offset. Our focus is on the six main greenhouse gases listed in the Kyoto Protocol, starting with carbon dioxide (CO2). The aim is to reduce the net emissions of these specific gases to zero so that neither our business activities nor the portfolio have a net impact on the climate. We rely on science-based target paths, such as CRREM, and develop property-specific decarbonisation plans. We achieve emission reductions for our real estate primarily through energy-efficient modernisation, the use of renewable energies and optimising our operational management.
In order to strengthen the resilience of our real estate and develop suitable adaptation strategies for an increasingly challenging climate, we will keep expanding and consistently monitoring our climate risk analyses. In this way, we ensure that we stay fit for the long-term future. Our aim is to create sustainable solutions that meet the challenges of climate change – for our real estate properties, our customers and for society.
As part of our sustainability strategy, we concentrate on reusing, repairing and recycling operating and construction materials. We assess buildings over their entire life cycle. Our aim is to use resources more efficiently, avoid waste and keep materials in circulation for as long as possible. These measures not only contribute to the circular economy, but also reduce emissions and are economically beneficial.
As part of our sustainability strategy, we are committed to preserving and actively supporting biodiversity. Our aim is to improve the quality of life in our properties and their surroundings, to contribute to preserving biodiversity and, at the same time, to minimise the impacts of climate change. We promote biodiversity through targeted measures in exterior areas, nature-based solutions in building design and with ecological upgrades for existing locations. We take biodiversity aspects into account at an early stage in the planning process of development projects. This not only promotes biodiversity, but also significantly increases the quality of each location. In this way, we’re creating sustainable habitats and increasing the attractiveness of our real estate properties at the same time.
Protecting water and marine ecosystems, as well as reducing environmental pollution, are fundamental parts of our broad environmental commitment. As a real estate asset manager, our direct influence in these areas is limited. Nevertheless, we systematically review measures to reduce water consumption, waste water volumes and potential environmental pollution during construction, revitalisation and operational procedures, where it is technically and economically feasible to do so. By taking this approach, we observe applicable legal requirements and relevant environmental standards, and integrate any corresponding aspects into our planning and operating processes.
