# Governance

The **Governance** aspect identifies the individuals or teams responsible for driving sustainability performance and decision-making and how sustainability management is structured.

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## <mark style="color:$success;">RLE3: Sustainability Taskforce/Committee</mark>

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th align="center"></th><th align="center"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center"><i class="fa-bullseye">:bullseye:</i> Max Score</td><td align="center"><strong>1 Point</strong></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i class="fa-shield-check">:shield-check:</i> Validation</td><td align="center"><strong>Other Answer is Manually Validated</strong></td></tr></tbody></table>

**Does the entity have a sustainability taskforce or committee?**

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/WBhPHYmqJUclzAatRT2f" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

#### Assessment Instructions

<details>

<summary><strong>Intent</strong>: What is the purpose of this indicator?</summary>

This indicator identifies whether the entity has an internal task force or committee dedicated to sustainability. Such a group demonstrates a structured approach to embedding sustainability, resilience, and efficiency considerations across the organization and supports coordinated action toward achieving strategic objectives.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Input</strong>: How do I complete this indicator?</summary>

Select yes or no. If yes, select all applicable sub-options.

### Terminology

**Asset manager**

> A person or group of people responsible for developing and overseeing financial and strategic developments of real estate investments at asset level.

**Board of Directors**

> A body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization as detailed in the corporate charter. Boards normally comprise both executive and non-executive directors.

**C-suite level staff/Senior management**

> A team of individuals who have the day-to-day responsibility of managing the entity. C-suite level staff are sometimes referred to, within corporations, as senior management, executive management, executive leadership team, top management, upper management, higher management, or simply seniors.

**Dedicated staff on sustainability issues**

> Individuals whose core responsibility is to address sustainability issues.

**Sustainability portfolio manager**

> A person or a group who manages the sustainability strategy and implementation of a portfolio of real estate investments.

**Sustainability taskforce/committee**

> A group of individuals who meet, at least four times per year, to discuss and monitor the implementation of the entity’s sustainability objectives.

**External managers or service providers**

> Organizations, businesses or individuals that offer services to others in exchange for payment. These include, but are not limited to, consultants, agents and brokers.

**Fund/portfolio manager**

> A person or a group who manages a portfolio of real estate investments, and the deployment of investor capital, by creating and implementing asset level strategies, across the entire portfolio.

**Investment analysts**

> A person or group with expertise in evaluating financial and investment information, typically for the purpose of making buy, sell and hold recommendations for securities.

**Investment committee**

> A group of selected people who establish a formal process to manage the plan’s investment strategy.

**Investor relations**

> A person or a group that provides investors with an accurate account of company affairs so investors can make better informed decisions.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Validation</strong>: What evidence is required?</summary>

No evidence required. Only the 'Other' answer is manually validated.

#### **Other Answer**

State the other type of member included in the task force. Other answers can include individuals (e.g., HR representative) or groups of individuals (e.g., Product innovation team). Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of a selected option above (e.g., sustainability team when ‘dedicated staff on sustainability issues’ is selected). It is possible to report on multiple other answers. If multiple other answers are acceptable, only one will be counted towards scoring.

<a href="/pages/MpW8HMfnQm73x24VNG0q" class="button primary" data-icon="shield">Validation Basics</a>

</details>

#### Scoring

<details>

<summary><strong>Scoring</strong>: How does GRESB score this indicator?</summary>

The scoring of this indicator is equal to the fraction assigned to the selected option, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.

**Other:** The 'Other' answer is manually validated and assigned a score which is used as a multiplying factor, as per the table below:

| Validation status | Score |
| ----------------- | ----- |
| Accepted          | 1/1   |
| Not Accepted      | 0     |
| Duplicate         | 0     |

<a href="/pages/QzGvLg8Sh74KZ4KdPNzc" class="button primary" data-icon="hundred-points">Scoring Basics</a>

</details>

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### <mark style="color:$success;">RLE4: Sustainability, Climate-Related, and/or Human Capital Senior Decision Maker</mark>

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th align="center"></th><th align="center"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center"><i class="fa-bullseye">:bullseye:</i> Max Score</td><td align="center"><strong>1 Point</strong></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i class="fa-shield-check">:shield-check:</i> Validation</td><td align="center"><strong>Other Answer is Manually Validated</strong></td></tr></tbody></table>

**Does the entity have a senior decision-maker accountable for sustainability, climate-related, and/or human capital issues?**

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/FyfSfpDmETbxIu99t8VW" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

#### Assessment Instructions

<details>

<summary><strong>Intent</strong>: What is the purpose of this indicator?</summary>

This indicator evaluates whether senior leadership is directly responsible for sustainability, climate-related, and human capital matters. Assigning these responsibilities at the executive level strengthens accountability, ensures informed decision-making, and reinforces the organization’s capacity to deliver on its strategic objectives and drive continuous improvement.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Input</strong>: How do I complete this indicator?</summary>

Select yes or no. If yes, select all applicable sub-options.

**Senior decision-maker:** The entity’s most senior decision-maker on sustainability, climate, and human capital is expected to be actively involved in the process of defining the sustainability, climate-related, and human capital objectives, and should approve associated strategic decisions regarding these themes. This person cannot be the same as the individual identified in RLE3.&#x20;

**Details of employee:** Participants must provide the name and job title of the relevant employee. This information will be used for reporting purposes only.

**Open text box:** The content of this open text box is not used for scoring, but will be included in the Benchmark Report. Participants should use this open text box to communicate on the following:

1. Means of communication. Examples can include, but are not limited to: written memos, formal reports, presentations, or meeting minutes.
2. Frequency of reporting. Examples can include, but are not limited to: monthly, quarterly, or annually.
3. Contents of reporting. Examples can include, but are not limited to: (i) an overview of asset performance (quantitative), (ii) realized sustainability performance against objectives, (iii) updates regarding long-term strategic objectives, (iv) updates/notifications regarding regulatory changes, or (v) updates regarding proposed actions to improve the performance of the assets.

### Terminology

**Asset manager**

> A person or group of people responsible for developing and overseeing financial and strategic developments of real estate investments at asset level.

**Board of Directors**

> A body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization as detailed in the corporate charter. Boards normally comprise both executive and non-executive directors.

**C-suite level staff/Senior management**

> A team of individuals who have the day-to-day responsibility of managing the entity. C-suite level staff are sometimes referred to, within corporations, as senior management, executive management, executive leadership team, top management, upper management, higher management, or simply seniors.

**Investment committee**

> A group of selected people who establish a formal process to manage the plan’s investment strategy.

**Person accountable**

> A person with sign off (approval) authority over the deliverable task, project or strategy. The accountable person can delegate the work to other responsible people who will work on the implementation and completion of the task, project or strategy.

**Senior decision-maker accountable for climate-related issues**

> A senior individual with sign off (approval) authority for approving strategic climate-related objectives and steps undertaken to achieve these objectives. The accountable person can delegate the work to other responsible people who will work on the implementation and completion of the task, project or strategy.

**Senior decision-maker accountable for human capital**

> A senior individual with sign off (approval) authority for approving strategic human capital objectives and steps undertaken to achieve these objectives. The accountable person can delegate the work to other responsible people who will work on the implementation and completion of the task, project or strategy.

**Senior decision-maker accountable for sustainability**

> A senior individual with sign off (approval) authority for approving strategic sustainability objectives and steps undertaken to achieve these objectives. The accountable person can delegate the work to other responsible people who will work on the implementation and completion of the task, project or strategy.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Validation</strong>: What evidence is required?</summary>

No evidence required. Only the 'Other' answer is manually validated.

#### **Other Answer**

State the other senior decision-maker on sustainability issues. The answer should only refer to the department or governance structure of which the senior decision maker is part of. Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of a selected option above. Report only one other answer. Note that Fund/Portfolio manager cannot be used as an ‘Other’ answer unless a written statement is included in the open text box confirming that the individual is a senior member.

<a href="/pages/MpW8HMfnQm73x24VNG0q" class="button primary" data-icon="shield">Validation Basics</a>

</details>

#### Scoring

<details>

<summary><strong>Scoring</strong>: How does GRESB score this indicator?</summary>

Scoring of this indicator is equal to the fraction assigned to the selected option, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.

**Other:** The 'Other' answer is manually validated and assigned a score which is used as a multiplying factor, as per the table below:

| Validation status | Score |
| ----------------- | ----- |
| Accepted          | 1/1   |
| Not Accepted      | 0     |
| Duplicate         | 0     |

**Open text box:** The open text box is not scored and is for reporting purposes only.

<a href="/pages/QzGvLg8Sh74KZ4KdPNzc" class="button primary" data-icon="hundred-points">Scoring Basics</a>

</details>

#### Frequently Asked Questions

<details>

<summary>I don't have documented human capital objectives to report in indicator RLE2. Does this mean I can't answer RLE4?</summary>

No. While RLE2 asks about formal objectives, RLE4 (*Sustainability, Climate-related, and/or Human Capital Senior Decision Maker*) asks about responsibility. You can still answer LE4 if you have individuals or senior leaders responsible for human capital matters, even if those responsibilities aren't tied to specific objectives.

</details>

<details>

<summary><em>References</em></summary>

CDP, CC1.1

GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards (2016): 103-32

RobecoSAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2017: 3.1.5, Responsibilities & Committees

Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures June 2017: Governance A\&B

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***

## Get Support: Solution Providers

**GRESB Solution Providers** are independent, third-party organizations within the GRESB Partner network that offer specialized products, tools, and services to support sustainability performance outside the GRESB Assessment process.

Currently, there are no GRESB Solution Providers associated with this indicator.

GRESB will continue to update this section as the GRESB Solution Provider network grows. Please check back regularly to find GRESB Solution Providers who can support your sustainability performance.


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