Vita Collective Foundation: First-ever sustainability report for the year 2020
The Vita Collective Foundation is on track with its sustainability projects and has set ambitious targets for the years ahead. The organization has released its first-ever digital report on the subject providing detailed information on the developments to-date. CO2 emissions have been reduced by 22 percent since 2010 in the core asset class of Swiss real estate.
The Vita Collective Foundation adopted sustainability as a key issue early on, and these efforts are paying off. Since 2010 the Foundation has reduced CO2 emissions in the core asset class of Swiss real estate by 22 percent, thus exceeding its target of achieving a 20 percent reduction by 2020. The Vita Collective Foundation is on track with its energy saving goals as well, having reduced energy consumption in Swiss real estate by approximately 18 percent between 2010 and 2017. Since 2011 the Collective Foundation has been actively exercising its voting rights in Germany and other countries, and started measuring the carbon footprint of the overall portfolio in 2017.
Strategic focus on ‘senior Housing’ investments
The Foundation today is sharply focused on issues of environmental, social and corporate governance and intends to anchor ESG considerations even more firmly within its investment process. Among other things, for the Vita Collective Foundation sustainability means investing in companies and projects which have positive ESG impact. The Foundation is promoting demand-oriented generational housing for retirees by investing strategically in “senior Housing” properties, acquiring three new projects in 2020, in St. Gallen, Wetzikon and Winterthur. Currently there are six residential and commercial properties in the portfolio with around 350 residential units, representing an investment volume of approximately CHF 200 million.
Important yesterday, important today: high standards of transparency
The Vita Collective Foundation has now released its first governance report outlining comprehensively managerial best practices and the strategy and structures in place, as well as the organization’s code of conduct and information policy. The Vita Collective Foundation has a longstanding commitment to good corporate governance reflecting the highest standards of integrity and transparency, as illustrated, for example, by the formation of an independent management company in 2017 to ensure clear separation between the Foundation and the life insurance business.
The Collective Foundation’s Sustainability Report and Governance Report for 2020 are now available in the Download Center at vita.ch, and here: