ESR Group, one of the largest real asset managers in Asia Pacific, has recently announced its ambitious Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) 2030 roadmap. The roadmap includes a target to achieve 1GW of installed solar power capacity from its rooftop assets. This would be a tenfold increase from the company's current installed rooftop solar capacity of nearly 100MW, which it aims to achieve by the end of 2022. ESR's goal is to almost double the 52MW target set for 2025.
Tang Boon Kang, Head of Governance & Sustainability at ESR Group, and Emma Larsson, ESG Officer at ESR Group, said, “ESR has achieved great progress on the targets set out in our 2025 roadmap. As we lead the way forward in the transition to a more inclusive, low-carbon and climate-resilient future, our ESG 2030 Roadmap will sharpen our focus in driving ESG efforts forward as an enlarged group. It includes new targets that are coherent with our 2025 roadmap and drive greater accountability as we continue to accelerate best-in-class practices across the group.”
The company has a strong presence in Japan, which currently has the most installed rooftop solar capacity, with less than a third (27.9MW) of the already operational 85MW global capacity. The remaining 15MW is expected to be operational in the first half of 2023. Singapore comes in second with 16.3MW of installed rooftop solar capacity.
ESR's focus on sustainability and clean energy extends beyond Japan and Singapore. In China, the company aims to reach 100MW of installed rooftop solar power capacity by the end of 2023.
ESR's commitment to ESG aligns with a global shift towards sustainable investing. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition among investors that a company's ESG performance is critical to its long-term financial success. As institutional investors continue to integrate ESG factors into their investment decisions, companies that prioritize sustainability and clean energy are likely to be better positioned for growth.
ESR's ESG 2030 roadmap highlights the company's commitment to driving progress towards a more sustainable future. As the company continues to lead the way forward in the transition to a low-carbon economy, it will be interesting to see how other companies in the region respond to this growing trend towards sustainable investing.
