Published: 01.07.2021
Right now, the terms ESG and Corporate Social Responsibility are on everyone's lips. But what do they actually mean, and why are they key to the Adler Group's corporate philosophy?
In recent years, one abbreviation has become increasingly important for companies and investors: ESG. The abbreviation stands for "Environmental, Social and Governance" and refers to the standards and criteria by which the sustainability of a company and its positive impact on society are measured. Lately, these standards have become increasingly important. ESG reports, in which companies provide the public with information about their activities in the areas of environment, social affairs and corporate governance, have become just as integral a part of the financial year as the annual report itself. The Adler Group published its first ESG report in May 2021.
Climate & environmental protection
In a time of increasing global warming, environmental and climate protection are topics that we as a real estate business cannot and will not ignore - especially considering that buildings account for 35 percent of energy consumption in Germany. As a large company, the Adler Group can contribute to protecting the environment from harm as far as possible through its corporate decisions.
That is why we are committed to the UN sustainability goals and have also applied for membership of the Global Compact Initiative, which fights to ensure that these goals are actually achieved.
We are working intensively to reduce our environmental footprint. To this end, we are optimizing our existing properties to make them more climate-friendly, and are using new research findings and modern technologies to build sustainable neighborhoods that aim towards climate neutrality from the outset. Overall, we aim to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% across our entire portfolio by 2030.
As a real estate company, Adler Group earns its money by providing housing, but we are also giving people a home. We want our tenants to feel comfortable and to enjoy living with us for a long time. That's why we work continuously to improve the service we can offer - always in exchange with our tenants. To ensure that this exchange works as well as possible, we have taken the first step of creating a central Adler hotline in addition to the respective local service numbers, which tenants can contact with questions and suggestions.
In residential complexes where many people live close to one another, we provide spaces for social or charitable institutions where possible, or work closely with them. The services offered vary widely, ranging from help with homework to youth clubs and senior citizens' cafés. In addition, we intend to conduct a tenant survey for the first time this year in order to better assess what our tenants are satisfied with and what we can still improve.
A place where people like to work
We are also guided by ESG criteria in the way we work together in the Adler Group. The Adler Group as a company is a social space where people come together to work, but also a space where they can feel cared for and valued. That's why we promote a values-driven corporate culture and a supportive work environment by ensuring new opportunities for personal development for our employees and managers, and by offering attractive and secure jobs.
Why ESG?
In the end, ESG is always about "corporate social responsibility." Companies are a part of society, and therefore have a social responsibility that goes far beyond the purely economic responsibility of being successful as a company. Only those who think and act sustainably can be successful in the long term.