Hermes Investment Management, the £35.3 billion manager, has grown on its already recognised position as a leader in sustainable investment by gaining five GRESB stars for three of its funds - with two funds being sector leaders.

The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) is a leading source of portfolio-level sustainability data for the real estate industry that covers around $3.6 trillion in assets under management – totalling 79,000 assets.

The outstanding performer was the Hermes Real Estate Senior Debt Fund, which managed a remarkable achievement of finishing first out of its peers. As was Hermes Investment Management’s International Strategy Joint Venture Lionstone LHREV, which gained a fantastic outcome as GRESB regional leader for US offices. The Hermes Central London Strategy also made a noticeable impact, with five GRESB stars.

Chris Taylor, Head of Private Markets at Hermes Investment Management, said: “These results represent the team’s hard work and dedication to responsible, sustainable investment. This has sat at the heart of our strategy for many years and the holistic approach we undertake means we are committed to delivering excellent long-term investment performance and stewardship – while being conscious of the impact we have on the environment. This approach delivers tangible socio-economic benefits for society at large and is also a sensible business decision. It increases long-term value across our property portfolio, ensuring we can deliver ethical returns that meet and help to exceed client expectations.”

These award wins are timely as Hermes Investment Management is due to hold its annual Responsible Property Investment Discussion and Awards in November. The awards will be an opportunity to debate how ‘Meaningful Place Making’ can deliver impact in real estate investment and support the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). Contributing to the debate will be Nick Robins, Professor in Practice for Sustainable Finance Grantham Research Institute; Ruth Yeoman, Research Fellow at Saïd Business School University of Oxford, and James Dipple, Chief Executive, MEPC.

Tatiana Bosteels, Head of Responsible Property Investment at Hermes Investment Management, added: “At Hermes Investment Management, we have always approached sustainability in the widest sense of the word and are proud to have our performance recognised through the GRESB awards. Looking forward we are already focused on ESG 2.0 and delivering positive impacts though our purposeful real estate activities. Intentionality and transparency are key elements of this next stage, and GRESB has an important role to play.”

This news item was originally published here.