As a major property owner and operator, Heimstaden Bostad have a responsibility to combat climate change and take responsibility for the environmental footprint. We work strategically and holistically with our sustainable development work to address environmental and social challenges such as climate change, segregation, and housing shortages. In line with the Paris Agreement, we focus extensively on reducing our carbon footprint and on enhancing energy efficiency and building resilience to the effects of climate change. Our emission reduction and energy consumption targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative in 2022, are in alignment with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C and the EU’s commitment to climate neutrality by 2050. To reach our ambitious targets, we have developed a roadmap and committed more than SEK 7 billion in investments by 2030.
Regarding climate-related disclosures, we are aligning our sustainability strategy work with global market practise and use Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Universal Standards , the Swedish Annual Accounts Act Chapter 6 Section 11 , and the EU Taxonomy Regulation. For climate-related disclosures, we follow the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and in addition, we also disclose through CDP. This approach lays the foundation for Heimstaden Bostad’s aim with regards to minimising the environmental impact of its operations and how environmental considerations are prioritised and considered in investment decisions.
Heimstaden Bostad is also committed to follow the UN Global Compact 10 principles in the areas of human rights, labour practice, environment, and anti-corruption. Sustainability targets are aligned with the UN ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) and Agenda 2030.
In our efforts of transitioning the property sector to a low-carbon and environmentally sustainable society and allow investors to be part of this transition, a natural next step for Heimstaden Bostad is to start issuing green and sustainability linked bonds enabled by the Green and Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework.
The globally leading ESG rating agency Sustainalytics, concluded in a Second Party Opinion that Heimstaden Bostad’s Green and Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework is credible and impactful, and aligns with the four core components of the Green Bond Principles 2021, Green Loan Principles 2021, Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles 2020, and Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles 2022. Sustainalytics also believes that the activities and projects to be financed under the Framework will be carried out in alignment with the EU Taxonomy’s Minimum Safeguard.