GRESB

On 17 October 2023, it was announced GRESB had awarded Vesteda the title of Global Sector Leader Residential. This was the first time Vesteda had achieved this top global position. On 1 October of last year, GRESB also awarded Vesteda a five-star rating and the top position in its peer group in the Netherlands and Europe.

CEO Gertjan van der Baan is enormously proud of this achievement: “This was great news. In 2015, Vesteda came in last in the Netherlands. That was a wake-up call for us to devote more attention and funding to the sustainability of our portfolio and our ESG policy. These huge investments have paid off more and more in recent years. We now have the largest BREEAM-certified real estate portfolio in the world and in the coming years we will be focusing on the continued reduction of energy demand per home and on outperforming the Paris Agreement. To this end, we have received € 200 million in funding from our shareholders - pension funds and insurers – to cover sustainability investments over the next few years.”

Sebastien Roussotte, CEO of GRESB: “The sector leaders are the champions of the sector. They are taking the lead in terms of striving for a net-zero future and propelling the sector forward. We congratulate all sector leaders and sincerely thank them for their dedication, leadership and commitment to ESG principles and sustainability.”

Vesteda’s overall GRESB score increased to 96 points last year from 88 points in 2022. By 2030, Vesteda aims to consume 55% less energy than in 1990. In the coming years, Vesteda will continue to work on making residential complexes with high energy consumption more sustainable, installing close to 11,000 (free) solar panels each year in the period 2023-2027, taking measures against climate risks and involving tenants in the reduction of their energy consumption. In doing so, Vesteda is ensuring affordable, sustainable and climate-proof rental housing and improved neighbourhood liveability.