APAC’s largest real asset manager powered by the New Economy, has become a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (“PRI”), reinforcing its commitment to adopting and promoting responsible investment practices as part of its ongoing environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) efforts.

The PRI is recognised as the leading global network of asset managers, owners and service providers working together to put responsible investment into practice. The principles, which are voluntary, aim to provide a framework for integrating ESG considerations into investment decisions and ownership decisions.

Jeffrey Perlman, Chairman of ESR, said: “We place ESG at the heart of our operations and culture. Becoming a signatory to the UN-supported PRI marks another major step in furthering ESR’s commitment to sustainable investment and operations. As we enter the next phase of sustainable growth as a bigger, stronger platform, we will continue to advance our ambitious ESG plans and stay ahead of the changing landscape, leading the standard for sustainable development of our industry in Asia Pacific and the communities in which we operate.”

David Atkin, CEO at the Principles for Responsible Investment, commented: “We’re pleased to welcome ESR as a signatory to the PRI. We know that ambitious and impactful action across the whole spectrum of ESG issues is vital to drive real change. We look forward to working with ESR on these important issues and to affect lasting transformation across the sector.”

As the leading real asset manager and the largest New Economy real estate platform in APAC, ESR is committed to integrating sustainability into every facet of its business. In November 2020, the Group launched its ESG 2025 Roadmap in which responsible investment is a key focus area under the Corporate Performance pillar. By becoming a PRI signatory, the Group has taken the next steps to demonstrate creditability to its commitment, adopt the principles of responsible investing, and enhance its investment and asset management policies and practices.

Jeffrey Shen and Stuart Gibson, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of ESR, said: “As the largest real asset manager in APAC, it is important that we continue to lead the way for our industry. ESG has become a core component of value creation and we think it will be a fundamental driver of long-term investment performance going forward. At ESR, our responsible investment approach with a strong focus on ESG enables us to enhance shareholder value and deliver a positive impact on society and the environment.”

ESR has made great strides towards accelerating its ESG efforts across multiple aspects of its business, including sustainable financing, green building certifications, renewable energy, diversity and inclusion, and community engagement. In May 2022, ESR closed its fourth sustainability-linked loan (“SLL”), representing a total of nearly US$2.5 billion in SLLs across the Group in six months. The Group also recently appointed two female Independent Non-executive Directors, Serene Nah and Wei-Lin Kwee, bringing diverse backgrounds and perspectives to the Board and the Company to drive sustainable growth.

Learn more about the Group’s ESG efforts, priorities and performance: ESG Report 2021