CapitaLand Investment Leads in Sustainability with New Milestones in 2024
CapitaLand Investment (CLI), headquartered in Singapore, has firmly established itself as a frontrunner in sustainability, achieving significant advancements in its decarbonisation efforts for 2024. Highlighting its dedication to environmental stewardship, CLI has secured its place on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index (DJSI Asia Pacific) for the 13th and 16th consecutive years, respectively. This success underscores CLI’s proactive approach to sustainability, emphasizing the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in its operations.
The DJSI indexes, which recognize the top-performing companies in sustainability globally, include the top 10% and 20% of the world's largest firms based on long-term economic, environmental, and social performance. As the only Singapore-based real estate firm listed on these prestigious indexes in 2024 under the 'Real Estate Management and Development' category, CLI is advancing its commitments toward ambitious ESG targets.
Aside from its DJSI acknowledgments, CLI has maintained its inclusion in the 2024 MSCI ESG Leaders Index for the 11th consecutive year and has obtained an MSCI ESG AAA rating for the third year running. These accolades reflect CLI's comprehensive commitment to sustainability standards and public disclosure as demanded by institutional investors. Furthermore, CLI continues to be listed on the FTSE4Good Index Series for the 11th year, reinforcing its integration of ESG principles into its business model since 2014.
In October 2024, CLI also celebrated considerable achievements in the GRESB Real Estate Assessment, a leading global ESG benchmark, where its trusts and REITs received prominent ratings. CapitaLand India Trust (CLINT), CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT), and CapitaLand China Trust (CLCT) were awarded the highest 5-star rating, while CLI, CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR), and CapitaLand Ascott Trust (CLAS) garnered a 4-star rating.
Mr. Vinamra Srivastava, CLI’s Chief Sustainability & Sustainable Investments Officer, highlighted that 2024 marked a transformative period for CLI with crucial developments aligned with its Sustainability Master Plan 2030. He stated, “Our continued recognition in major global indices and outstanding performance in assessments like GRESB reflect our unwavering commitment to our ESG objectives.”
To bolster its decarbonisation strategy, CLI has intensified various initiatives targeting both asset and tenant operations to reduce its environmental footprint amid evolving urban dynamics. Noteworthy projects include CLINT's solar power plant in India, boasting a capacity of 21 MW, which is projected to generate over 30 million kWh annually, and the adoption of Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) systems across three major properties in Singapore.
CLI has also taken significant steps with its first standalone Climate Resilience Report (CRR) published in March 2024, aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). This report details the company's climate scenario analysis across its diverse portfolio and reinforces its determination to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2050.
Overall, CLI's strategic focus on sustainability continues to position it as a leader in the real estate sector, paving the way for comprehensive changes that benefit the environment and communities it serves. Additionally, CLI is actively engaged with global partners through platforms such as the CapitaLand Sustainability X Challenge (CSXC), which invites innovators to propose solutions that combat pressing urban sustainability challenges.
In conclusion, CLI's groundbreaking achievements in 2024, including significant decarbonisation milestones and numerous recognitions, reflect its steadfast commitment to sustainability and underscore its role as a leader in responsible real estate investment and management.