HONG KONG, Feb. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Link Real Estate Investment Trust ("The Link"; Hong Kong stock code: 823) has been included in The Sustainability Yearbook 2015 published by RobecoSAM, a leading asset management company focusing on sustainability funds. As one of the top-scoring companies in the real estate sector worldwide, The Link's excellent sustainability performance is again qualified through the inclusion. The Link is the only REIT and company in Hong Kong that has been included in the yearbook, which represents the top 15% of global real estate industry firms in terms of sustainability development.
George Hongchoy, CEO of The Link Management Limited, said, "We are honoured by our inclusion in the prestigious RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook 2015, which inspires our teams to build on our strong foundation to further promote sustainability. For The Link, sustainability is a strategic goal and part of our DNA, not merely a means to an end. It is widely embraced across our business functions. By linking sustainability with everything we do, we create long-term value for our stakeholders and the communities we serve."
Being a leader in sustainability development in the REIT industry, The Link's effort has been widely recognised. According to the latest 2014 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) survey, The Link ranked first among REITs in the East Asia region. It has been accorded GRESB Green Star status for the second year and selected as an index component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index (DJSI Asia Pacific) in 2014/15 -- the only Hong Kong REIT included in the Index. In addition, The Link won the "Best Year-On-Year Change for Hong Kong" Award at the 2014 CDP Hong Kong and South East Asia Climate Leadership Awards. These global recognitions demonstrate The Link's outstanding performance in implementing sustainability in its operations.
About RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook
The RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook is regarded as the world's most comprehensive publication on corporate sustainability performance. This yearbook is published by RobecoSAM, a leading asset management company focusing on sustainability funds. Every year since 2004, The Sustainability Yearbook has listed the world's most sustainable companies in each industry as determined by their score in RobecoSAM's annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment. This year, about 2,000 companies in 59 industries were evaluated for inclusion in the yearbook, using over 120 financial, environmental, social and economic indicators to evaluate those companies.
About Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI)
Launched in 1999, the DJSI are the first global indices to track the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. The DJSI review provides an in-depth analysis of financially material, economic, environmental and social practices, such as innovation or supply chain management, climate strategy and stakeholder engagement, and it places a special focus on industry-specific risks and opportunities.
About Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)
GRESB is an industry-driven organisation committed to assessing the sustainability performance of real estate portfolios (public, private and direct) around the globe. The dynamic benchmark is used by institutional investors to engage with their investments with the aim to improve the sustainability performance of their investment portfolio, and the global property sector at large.
About CDP
CDP is an international not-for-profit organisation providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. CDP works with market forces, including institutional investors, to motivate companies to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce them.
