The Covid-19 outbreak has changed perceptions of sustainability risks, broadening the conversation beyond just climate-related risks and their growing significance over time. Given the immediacy of their impact, health risks have become a major topic of debate.
Surely, this newly sparked interest in the social aspects of ESG serves as confirmation that the resilience of our cities is a matter of concern for everyone. Resilience to a crisis cannot be fully known in advance, but it can – and should – be anticipated. As an asset manager with a long-term investment approach, we carefully consider the consequences that our investments may have on tomorrow’s society.
Our responsibility is not only to manage real estate investments, but also to create the conditions for a shared future, notably bringing about the transition needed in the face of climate change and other key societal challenges.
Real estate gives our cities their material structure and forms the very essence of urban society. It can be both the problem and the solution. To deliver returns which are both useful and long-lasting, La Française has drawn up a roadmap with social and environmental levers as the driving force at the heart of its strategy.
We have set three clear priorities for our real estate division:
- To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting large-scale adoption of renewable energy and limiting our ownenergy consumption in accordance with the new requirements set out in the décret tertiaire (regulation relating to energy consumption reduction in the tertiary building sector in France).
- To bring nature back into our cities in order to mitigate the adverse impact that ever-increasing human activity has on biodiversity and ecosystems– the probable cause of the current Covid-19 pandemic and previous cases of zoonotic diseases.
- To make cities more inclusive by fostering the principle of “Living Together”, upon which any democratic society should be built.
At La Française, our investment philosophy is not to exclude assets with the poorest ESG performance, but rather to help these investments manage their transition and ultimately improve their sustainability credentials. We make decisions to engage based on our assessment of the asset’s capacity to adapt and innovate, welcoming new work styles.
Disclaimer
This commentary is intended for non-professional investors within the meaning of MiFID II. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a forecast, research product or investment advice and should not be construed as such. It may not constitute investment advice or an offer, invitation or recommendation to invest in particular investments or to adopt any investment strategy. The opinions expressed by La Française Group are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. These opinions may differ from those of other investment professionals. Published by La Française AM Finance Services, head office located at 128 boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris, France, a company regulated by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel as an investment services provider, no. 18673 X, a subsidiary of La Française. La Française Real Estate Managers was approved by the “Autorité des Marchés Financiers” under N GP07000038 on June 26th 2007, approval (i.e. the Carte professionnelle) granted by the Paris Ile-de-France “Chambre du Commerce & de l’Industrie” under CPI N 7501 2016000 006 443 – Transactions on Buildings and Business Assets and Real Estate Management.