esg.

Why are we moving ESG (“E“ for Environment, ”S“ for Social and “G“ for Governance) into the spotlight? Because it is an integral part of our green. smart. and more. strategy.

green. stands for measures in support of greening, meaning the redirection of the economy in line with the environment. Our primary focus is on timber construction as well as renewable energies and green building certification.
smart. expresses our commitment to intelligent buildings. With the use of sensors and automation, buildings can be adapted to meet the needs of users and, at the same time, operations can be made more efficient.
and more. means we tell stories with our buildings. This involves aesthetics, well-being and customer experience – a “more“ that is perceptible all over.

The efficient use of resources is an integral part of ongoing operations, as are social issues and adherence to compliance rules. UBM’s flagship projects, green building certifications and the activities evolving from the green. smart. and more. strategy reflect the requirements of the EU and create new opportunities for UBM. This starts with the acquisition, leads to the question of whether a project can be realised with wood construction and ends with the building’s CO2 footprint over its entire life cycle. In other words: ESG defines UBM’s entire value chain.

It is, therefore, only logical that we are also committed to integrating the UN Global Compact and its principles into our corporate strategy, our corporate culture and our daily business activities in order to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our ESG report follows the recognised GRI standards issued by the Global Reporting Initiative. And UBM is also one of the first companies on the Vienna Stock Exchange to establish an ESG committee at the Supervisory Board level. And, in the end, we are especially proud that our new Supervisory Board‘s ESG committee is a first for UBM with its entirely female composition.

What‘s more, leading worldwide ESG rating agencies have confirmed UBM’s strong position on the topic of sustainability. We invite you to accompany us into a green. smart. and more. future.

fundamental principles.

UBM is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted by all UN members in 2015 as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Governments as well as companies are called upon to make a contribution to reaching these goals.
In connection with a materiality analysis and a risk and impact assessment, UBM dealt with the SDGs and the related sub-goals in detail and identified the goals where the company can make a direct contribution to the Agenda 2030.

Our actions are also based on the ten principles of the UN Global Compact. UBM joined this “Network of the Future“ in 2021. Moreover, UBM has been an official supporter of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) since 2021, joining more than 4,000 organizations in demonstrating a commitment to safeguarding against climate risk and building a more resilient financial system through better disclosures.

An intensive dialogue with stakeholders is guaranteed and reinforced by UBM’s participation in various organisations and branch associations. The company has been a member of the Institute for Corporate Governance (ICG) since 2019 and contributes to the ICG’s social impact investment initiative. In addition, UBM is a member of respACT (Austrian Council for Sustainable Development), VÖPE (Association of Austrian Project Developers), ÖGNI (Austrian Sustainable Building Council) and the IG Lebenszyklus Bau, among others.

                 

green finance.

Stock exchanges play a vital role in the green transformation of our economy. All in all, they support and channel capital flows towards sustainable corporate activities. The Vienna Stock Exchange has established a separate, transparent ESG segment for securities issuers that covers sustainable bonds. UBM is represented in the Vienna ESG Segment with its Sustainability-Linked Bond 2021-2026 (volume: 150 million euros), the Hybrid Bond 2021 (volume: 100 million euros) and the Green Bond 2023-2027 (volume: 50 million euros) that is based on UBM’s Green Finance Framework.

UBM’s Green Finance Framework provides the framework for future issues of sustainable financing instruments. This Framework has been developed in alignment with the ICMA Green Bond Principles 2021 and the LMA Green Loan Principles 2023, is based on the EU Taxonomy and is in compliance with best practices in the market. The Framework is applicable for issuance of Green Finance Instruments including Green Bonds, Green Loans and Green Schuldscheindarlehen where net proceeds will be exclusively applied to finance and/or refinance green projects with clear environmental benefits. It has been reviewed by the ESG rating and research agency ISS ESG in order to provide a second party opinion.

goals.

ratings.

The leading global ESG rating agencies have confirmed the effective implementation of UBM’s strategic focus on green. smart. and more.

CDP: B for UBM Development

The first rating by the non-profit organisation CDP resulted in a B rating for UBM as a reflection of its commitment to the fight against climate change. UBM voluntarily took part in CDP’s climate protection data reporting in 2022 and transparently informed its stakeholders of its climate protection strategy and measures to reduce CO2 emissions.

CDP is considered the worldwide gold standard of environmental reporting with the most comprehensive dataset on the environmental impact, risks and opportunities of corporate and city action. In 2022, more than 680 investors with assets of over 130 trillion US dollars prompted companies to disclose data over the CDP platform. This call was followed by a record-breaking 18,700 companies worldwide.

Rating date: 13 December 2022

ISS ESG: Prime Status for UBM Development

ISS ESG awarded UBM “Prime Status” (level “B-”) which makes UBM the most sustainable company in its sector in Germany and Austria.

The ISS ESG evaluation covers companies’ ecological and social performance based on a corporate rating scheme with over 100 selected branch-specific ecological, social and corporate governance criteria.

Rating date: 19 May 2023

EcoVadis: Platinum for UBM Development

Following gold in the initial assessment last year, UBM Development has now been awarded platinum by EcoVadis, the highest rating awarded by EcoVadis. This puts UBM in the top one percent of all 100,000 companies assessed by EcoVadis worldwide.

The evaluation is based on 21 criteria from the four most important sustainability aspects: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. UBM’s performance exceeded the sector average in all four categories.

Rating date: 17 October 2022

Member of VÖNIX Index

UBM continues to be represented in the Austrian Sustainability Index (VÖNIX) for the years 2023/24, where we have been listed since 2022.

This sustainability benchmark includes those Austrian companies listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange that are leaders in terms of ecological and social activities and performance.

Listing date: 19 June 2023

Gaïa (EthiFinance): Gold for UBM

The evaluation by Gaïa resulted in Gold for UBM and a ranking as one of the top two companies in Austria. Compared with the benchmarks (Austria, real estate sector and revenue between €150 and 500m), UBM was a high-flyer in all four rating categories (Environment, Social, Governance and external stakeholders).

Rating date: 27 December 2022

iso certificates.

The corporate units in Austria (AG and UBM Austria), Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland are certified under the following internationally recognised norms:

  • quality management norm ISO 9001
  • environmental management norm ISO 14001
  • occupational health and safety management norm ISO 45001
  • energy management norm ISO 50001

 

The certificates can be downloaded from the following links:

esg contact.

Ines Pfeil
Investor Relations Manager Ines Pfeil
Christoph Rainer
Head of Investor Relations Christoph Rainer