The information below regarding the policies of FORE Partnership on the integration of “sustainability risks” in its investment decision-making process is provided in accordance with Article 3(1) of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/2088) (“SFDR”).
Identifying environmental, social and governance (ESG) related risks and opportunities is an integral part of FORE’s due diligence process. ESG risks are defined as “materially negative impacts resulting from environmental, social or governance events or conditions that could cause actual or potential material negative impact on the value of the investment. These can be generated as a result of changing regulatory and stakeholder requirements in addition to physical, social, and transitional climate related issues”.
FORE maintains an ESG Policy which further details FORE’s consideration of sustainability risks in the decision-making process. FORE’s evaluation of investment opportunities will always include the identification and assessment of relevant ESG-related risks. In order to assist the relevant Investment Team with its ESG risk assessment in the pre-investment stage, FORE has put in place an ESG due diligence checklist. The use of this is mandatory for each investment proposal. The checklist acts as a risk scoping tool – identifying both physical climate change and transition risks. This guides the Investment Team as they design their approach to the ESG risk assessment during the pre-investment stage.
Further, external specialists will be instructed to perform enhanced ESG due diligence on potential target investments, where appropriate. FORE anticipates that in due course external specialists will be used in relation to all proposed investments which are to be considered by its Investment Committee.
When acquiring assets FORE focus on aspects which have an impact on ability to deliver net zero carbon buildings. This will start with the potential to bring the asset in line with FORE’s investment strategy, sustainability and net zero carbon ambitions. A key determinant of the acquisition strategy is the ability of the existing building to be retrofitted to a net zero carbon standard and the alignment with FORE’s values and approach of ‘retrofit first’. FORE seek to complete our business plans within 5 years post acquisition.
A mandatory ESG risk-screening and summary assessment of ESG factors relevant to an investment, including financial and non-financial information, are mandatory aspects of the detailed presentation made to the Investment Committee before its determination. These considerations enable the Investment Committee to properly assess the ESG risk factors before determining whether to recommend an investment.
When making a decision as to whether to recommend a prospective investment, the Investment Committee will take into account, alongside other considerations, information on ESG factors presented. If the Investment Committee concludes that the ESG-related risks associated with a target asset are too high and/or cannot be appropriately mitigated, FORE will elect not to pursue the investment opportunity.
FORE’s approach and objectives are integrated in their Environmental Management System (EMS), which is accredited to ISO 14001. Our Environmental Management System ensures sustainability risks and opportunities are identified, managed, and mitigated at both corporate and asset level, and throughout each stage of the ownership cycle.
Further information on FORE Partnerships ESG Strategy can be requested from FORE Partnership by using the contact information on this website, or emailing info@forepartnership.com or calling +44 20 7440 3480.
FORE Partnership believes that the incorporation of sustainability performance into both long-term strategies and day-to-day operational management has the potential to enhance risk-adjusted returns and strengthen the investment process.
FORE considers the Principal Adverse Impacts (PAIs) of investment decisions on sustainability factors listed in Table 1 within the meaning prescribed by the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (2019/2088) (SFDR).
FORE has published here, in accordance with its obligations under Article 4 of the draft Regulatory Technical Standards (“RTS”), an adverse sustainability impacts statement in the format prescribed by the RTS.
This Principal Adverse Impacts statement covers the interim reference period from 10 March 2021 to 31 December 2021.
Description of principal adverse sustainability impacts
As a general firm-wide policy, as part of the firm’s due diligence process, all potential investments are evaluated based on the short-, medium-, and long-term effects across various Sustainability Factors and are formally assessed under specified Responsible Investment criteria. This assessment not only identifies how Sustainability Risks may impact the financial returns of an investment, but identifies PAIs on relevant Sustainability Factors.
Sustainability Risks could arise at any stage of the real estate investment lifecycle including acquisition, ownership, renovation and construction, and disposal. To mitigate these risks, FORE monitors to identify and manage the impact of any PAIs, or their risk of occurring, and take suitable action. As with Sustainability Risks, PAIs on Sustainability Factors are screened, monitored and measured at asset level and aggregated at entity level (i.e. FORE). These mandatory indicators will be included in the firm’s PAI statement for the first reference period (i.e., the calendar year 2022).
The firm is taking necessary preparations to gather, monitor and report the mandatory principal adverse impact indicators within the specified time period. The firm currently monitors, so far as it is able, the following PAIs on sustainability factors:
Table 1: PAIs taken into account on investment decisions
| Adverse sustainability impact (PAI) |
Metric |
| Greenhouse gas emissions |
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relating to:
· Scope 1 and 2 (landlord) emissions.
· Scope 3 (tenant) emissions
· Total GHG emissions. |
| Energy consumption |
· Energy consumption intensity (kWh /m² / year). |
| Waste |
· Share of real estate assets not equipped with facilities for waste sorting and not covered by a waste recovery or recycling contract. |
| Water |
· Absolute consumption (m³)
· Like-for-like (m³)
· Like-for-like intensity |
| Circular economy / resource consumption |
· Share of raw building materials (excluding recovered, recycled and bio sourced) compared to the total weight of building materials used in new construction and major renovations. |
| Biodiversity |
· Share of non-vegetated surface area (surfaces that have not been vegetated in ground, as well as on roofs, terraces and walls) compared to the total surface area of the plots of all assets. |
| Indoor air quality |
· Share of development activities attaining acceptable indoor air quality standards.
· Share of assets attaining certification to recognised indoor air quality standards. |
| Outdoor air quality |
· Share of assets with electric vehicle charging points.
· Share of assets with bicycling facilities. |
| Energy efficiency certificate profile |
· Rating by % portfolio floor area |
In line with the regulatory timeline (30 June each year), we will update the metrics we report on to be consistent with the requirements under the RTS, which sets out the proposed content, methodologies and presentation of sustainability-related disclosures under the relevant Articles of Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 known as the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
Description of policies to identify and prioritise adverse sustainability impacts
The FORE portfolio has a sustainable investment objective, in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council on sustainability related disclosures in the financial services sector. Our ESG approach, led by our ESG Committee, is supported by an Environmental Management System (“EMS”) certified to ISO 14001. This approach aims to identify, monitor and incorporate Sustainability Risks and opportunities into investment selection, retention and realisation. The EMS contains a set of guidance documents to support our real estate investment team carry out our sustainability initiatives across all investment activities.
The EMS additionally includes a materiality assessment to ensure the identification and prioritisation of key material risks and opportunities arising from our significant sustainability aspects. Assessing materiality helps us prioritise issues and focus efforts according to their importance to the business and stakeholders. A comprehensive risk register sets out and scores these risks in terms of high, medium or low – alongside associated actions to mitigate risks. Our Sustainability Policy, sets out our sustainability commitments, including how we integrate sustainability risks into our investment management processes. This is supplemented by our Net Zero Carbon Policy.
We seek continual improvement to sustainability credentials at asset-level, using detailed Sustainability Action Plans throughout the asset hold period.
Engagament Policies
We define our key stakeholders within our EMS and this is externally communicated in our annual reporting. Our policy regarding engagement is set out in procedures within our EMS, our Sustainability Policy, and further defined in our Ner Zero Carbon Policy.
Our key stakeholders include investors, service providers, occupiers and local communities.
We actively manage our portfolios of real estate investments with regular and ongoing engagement with stakeholders to ensure we understand their needs to manage sustainability risks and opportunities and to support long term profitability.
Through our engagement initiatives and to support our investment management approach, we seek to, amongst other outcomes, mitigate the adverse sustainability impacts identified above as follows:
Occupiers/Tenants: As real estate investors, occupiers are our customers and we strive for good relationships with tenants to support their occupation. We seek to understand and support their needs. We conduct regular engagement activities including: tenant surveys, one-on-one meetings and regular communications. We seek to include green clauses in leases to support data collation and sound environmental practices.
Service providers: Key real estate asset management activities involve property management, construction and refurbishment which are supported by third-party service providers. Our asset management team has regular engagement with property managers to ensure the portfolio assets are managed appropriately to the satisfaction of the occupiers and in accordance with the lease terms. Our EMS contains a Supplier ESG Code of Conduct which stipulates requirements for suppliers (over a certain threshold). Adherence to this is monitored routinely.
Communities: We work to ensure good engagement with communities in relation to our asset strategies. This includes ensuring that planning requirements and building regulations are met, or exceeded where appropriate, and seek to develop good relationships with the communities using and benefitting from our buildings in their locality.
Investors: We have regular engagement with our investors to ensure that we understand and meet their investment requirements. We provide regular reporting and include in annual reports, sustainability information on FOREs’ principles, progress across sustainability initiatives, including compliance, and environmental metrics.
References to international standards
B-Corp
FORE attained certified B Corporation in 2020. This underscores our commitment to align our investment strategy with our purpose, impact, and culture. As part of this process, we have codified our values in our corporate governance, and made a binding pledge to consider the impact of our decisions on our staff, customers, suppliers, community, and environment.
Global ESG Benchmark for Real Asset (GRESB)
We participate annually in GRESB, the global ESG benchmark for real estate entities. The benchmark awards 1 to 5 stars for performance relative to all participant scores. We have achieved 5 Stars each year in the survey since 2018. In the 2021 survey, we obtained our highest overall score yet of 91/100.
In 2021, FORE was also awarded Sector Leader status in the Diversified – Office/Residential category both regionally and globally – a recognition of outstanding leadership in sustainability and taken the top ranking in our peer group for Development.
Industry Collaboration
FORE encourages membership and participation to a number of reputable industry organisations in which we share know-how and collaborate on various industry initiatives.
Looking ahead, we plan to continue on our path towards strengthening our ESG approach in line with the objectives and targets set out in our ESG Framework, in the specific ESG roadmaps developed for the fund and in this statement.
The information below regarding how the remuneration policies of FORE Partnership, are consistent with the integration of “sustainability risks” in its investment decision-making process is provided in accordance with Article 5(1) of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/2088) (“SFDR”).
FORE maintains a Remuneration Policy, which sets out the general principles that underpin FORE’s strategy, procedures and decision-making processes for the payment of variable remuneration to its personnel.
FORE personnel are subject to an annual performance review, which informs FORE’s decision as to whether variable remuneration will be paid to such personnel and the extent of such remuneration. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk management is considered as part of each relevant individual’s performance review, including the individual’s adherence to FORE’s ESG Policy, which details FORE’s consideration of sustainability risks in its decision-making process, as well as management and mitigation of ESG risks and the realisation of ESG-related opportunities.
In addition, where an individual has made a significant effort or value-add contribution to the implementation of FORE’s sustainability and ESG initiatives, a discretionary reward may be paid to that individual.