Two people are sitting on the backrest of a park bench in front of a block of flats.
Caring about the world around us

Our environmental responsibility

Sustainability

Thinking and acting responsibly

Sustainability has many dimensions. These include social responsibility, protecting our environment, providing a safe and attractive workplace, and maintaining a sustainable value chain. Thinking and acting sustainably is a core part of our business. It covers everything from our long-term approach to real estate investments and the efficient use of our resources. It also includes our focus on people, sustainability, and climate issues. Our business covers everything from our long-term approach to real estate investments to the efficient use of our resources. It also includes our focus on people, sustainability, and climate issues. We also aim to participate in and contribute to sustainable development. At the same time, we strive to inspire and support the local communities in which we operate. We believe in long-term value creation. That is why we work in accordance with the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Our commitments

In 2019, Heimstaden joined the UN Global Compact's corporate social responsibility initiative. The company committed to following its ten principles in the areas of human rights, working conditions, the environment, and anti-corruption.

un global compact
Heimstaden Sustainability Environment

Our environmental and climate goals

Fossil fuel-free operations by 2030.
100% renewable electricity in all countries in which Heimstaden is active by 2021.
Fossil-independent vehicle fleet by 2025.
At least 1% reduced water use/sqm annually until 2030.
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 42% from 2020 to 2030 (scope 1, 2 and 3 in tenants' energy use).
Reduce the amount of purchased energy/sqm by 2% annually until 2025.
Set requirement for suppliers, which cover 70% of scope 3 emissions, to set science-based goals by 2025.
Ecosystem services must be evaluated for all new production and major projects. The same amount of ecosystem services, or more, must then be recreated.
New builds must be certified to least Miljöbyggnad Silver or similar.
New builds must be able to produce renewable energy.

Energy efficient properties

Heimstaden is at the forefront of sustainability in several respects. Still, we know there is more to be done to fully address and manage climate challenges. Around 40% of the EU’s total energy use comes from the real estate sector. The sector also accounts for 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing our climate footprint is the only way forward. That is why tackling climate change is one of Heimstaden’s highest priorities.

As a European residential real estate company, we support the EU’s goal of being climate neutral by 2050. We are also working towards even more ambitious goals in our local markets. To align our climate ambitions with the Paris Agreement, we joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). SBTi acts as an independent third-party reviewer.

We have set a goal to reduce our energy consumption by 2% every year until 2025 (in a comparable property portfolio). We will achieve this primarily by making our properties more energy efficient. We believe we can achieve this by reducing our energy consumption while maintaining the value we currently offer our tenants. Alternatively, we can create more value for our tenants without increasing our energy consumption. Measures include increasing our use of modern and cost-effective technology. This includes installing smart control systems, technical measures to reduce heat loss, and additional requirements for new builds. At Group level, we are also installing solar panels on new builds wherever possible.

Read more about our sustainability work on our corporate website.

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Water consumption

Water is a vital resource. Although there is no water shortage where Heimstaden operates, water should still be used carefully and respectfully.

In our property development projects, we have increased our focus on water efficiency. We have set a target to reduce water consumption by 1% per square metre each year until 2030 (in the corresponding portfolio).

Together we can make a difference

Waste is mainly generated due to new construction, remodelling, renovation projects and property management, but also by our tenants. By helping our tenants become more aware and make more conscious choices, we can reduce our combined material consumption. We can also increase reuse and recycling.

Reducing our combined waste will help our planet. We can achieve this by re-thinking what we are consuming and reusing what we already have. There are recycling stations within, or directly adjacent to, each of our properties. This makes it easier for our tenants to make a difference for the environment.