Market Insight: What Does ESG Mean For Real Estate Executives?
Ben Readman
Access this research
Access all Built Environment Energy & Decarbonization content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report
Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance
Executive Summary
Corporate ESG initiatives are proliferating through organizational operations, touching on all departments and job functions. Buildings represent a significant proportion of corporate emissions, and influence employee health and wellbeing, making them a key factor in corporate ESG performance. Optimal management of a firm’s building portfolio is therefore a major lever in the delivery of sustainability and net zero targets – a task lying at the feet of real estate executives. This report assesses the level of impact that ESG is having on real estate executive priorities and job functions. The analysis finds that ESG is pushing real estate executives to reshape their initiatives, develop new skills and engage a wider range of stakeholders to support corporate objectives.Real Estate Executives Are Fundamental To The Delivery Of ESG Strategies
ESG Adds Additional Actions And Priorities For Real Estate Teams
Meeting ESG Ambitions Will Require Real Estate Executives To Redefine Roles, Missions And Skills
Figure 2. Real Estate Teams Are Ramping Up Their Efforts Around ESG Initiatives
Figure 3. Sustainability And ESG Drivers Affecting Real Estate Strategies Over The Coming Year
About the Authors
Ben Readman
Industry Analyst
Ben is an Industry Analyst covering the real estate sector, with a focus on data centres and hotels. His core research covers more than 100 vendors in the energy efficiency, s...
Rodolphe d’Arjuzon
Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder
Rodolphe co-founded Verdantix in 2008. As Chief Product Officer, he leads the firm’s research strategy and intellectual agenda. With over 20 years of experience in techn...
View ProfileOther related content
Energy price volatility, grid instability and geopolitical risk are exposing how vulnerable many organisations’ energy strategies really are. Energy, procurement, operations and su...
Upcoming / 12 March, 2026
In 2025, average UK office occupancy was around 40%, the highest level since the pandemic but still well below pre-pandemic norms. As organisations continue to bring people back in...
Upcoming / 26 February, 2026
Today’s facilities managers are no longer just responsible for keeping buildings running - they’re expected to deliver on sustainability goals, ensure energy resilience, and overse...
Upcoming / 17 February, 2026
On November 3-4 2025, Greenbuild hosted the second annual Sustainable Finance and Investing Forum, a pre-conference event held exclusively for real estate investors, operators, dev...
04 December, 2025
Organizations are under growing pressure to boost asset performance and project outcomes through tighter data integration and smarter building controls. Digital twins are shifting ...
09 December, 2025
The Sustainable Finance & Investing Forum on November 3-4, 2025 will take place alongside the Greenbuild International Conference + Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Thi...
03 November, 2025