News & Insights -

Introducing The Pool – Sustainability and ESG expertise when you need it

April 8, 2025April 8, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

I’m excited to introduce The Pool – a collective of experts supporting clients across the real estate sector and its entire value chain with strategic, impactful sustainability and ESG advisory. What sets The Pool apart? We speak your language – in business and in English, French, Arabic, Italian, German, and Dutch. We ensure communication is seamless, wherever you are. Where did The Pool begin? A few years ago, I began splitting my time between London and Brussels, expanding my professional network across Europe. At the same time, I recognised that the best client outcomes come from involving the right sustainability experts at the right time. That’s how the idea for The Pool was born – a flexible, collaborative model that brings together specialist advisors when they can add the most value. A New Model for Sustainability Each of us continues to operate independently, but we collaborate when it means we can deliver greater value. Think of The Pool as your on-demand team of...

Key ESG Acronyms in Real Assets: A Growing List

February 28, 2025March 20, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Here’s a list of the most common ESG acronyms I encounter when working with clients in the real assets sector. This list will be regularly updated, so let me know if there are any other acronyms you’d like to see added! Follow for more insights on ESG, sustainability, and real asset investments. *** BREEAM - Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method [Website] CDP – Carbon Disclosure Project (Global) [Website] CRREM – Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor [Website] CSDDD – Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (EU) [Website] CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility CSRD – Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU) [Website] DEI - Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion DMA – Double Materiality Assessment DR – Disclosure requirement EFRAG - European Financial Reporting Advisory Group [Website] EMS – Environmental Management System EPC – Energy Performance Certificate ESG – Environmental, social, governance ESRS - European Sustainability Reporting Standards (EU) [Website] GFANZ – Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net Zero (Global) [Website] GHG – Greenhouse gases, or the GHG Protocol [Website] GREEN - Global Real Estate Engagement Network [Website] GRESB – formerly known as the “Global Real...

What next for the ESG in real estate group on LinkedIn?

February 25, 2025March 20, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Last week, I hosted a meeting with members of the LinkedIn ESG in Real Estate group. Since founding the group in August 2020, it has grown to over 8,000 members worldwide, bringing together professionals passionate about sustainability, finance, and real assets. Why Members Join the ESG in Real Estate Group During our discussion, attendees shared key reasons for joining the group:🔹 Exchange ideas on ESG and real estate trends🔹 Access the latest research and industry insights🔹 Learn from experts and case studies Key Takeaways: What Members Want to See More Of From the conversation, it’s clear there’s a strong demand for more insights on:🔹 Finance’s Role in Sustainability – How financial institutions support ESG initiatives in real assets🔹 Insurance & Sustainability – The role of insurers as institutional investors and drivers of ESG progress🔹 Real-World Case Studies – Success stories in finance, insurance, and sustainable asset management Looking Ahead: Expanding ESG Resources To address these needs, we’re focusing on expanding case studies that highlight ESG in finance,...

Dr. Sophie Taysom Joins EIIS as Faculty Member for Business & Human Rights Program

December 11, 2024March 20, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

I'm delighted to announce my appointment as a Faculty Member for the Business & Human Rights Certificate Program at the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability (EIIS). With a deep expertise in sustainability, ESG, and human rights, I will focus on:✔ Human rights in real assets – Ensuring responsible and ethical practices across the real estate and infrastructure sectors✔ Community engagement – Exploring proactive strategies to build positive relationships with local communities This appointment aligns with my commitment to advancing sustainability, responsible investment, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Stay connected for insights on ESG, business & human rights, and sustainable real assets....

Announcement on Sustainability Advisory Group

December 5, 2024December 5, 2024 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

I’m really excited to announce, and introduce, our Sustainability Advisory Group, working across the UK and Europe.And what a team!Each of us is an expert in our own right and, in coming together as a Group, we complement each other’s expertise. It’s about adding value for our clients.We will continue to work independently, and bring in others from the Group as and when it makes sense.What can we offer as a Group?➡️ Updates and trends analysis across the fast moving world of sustainability – at national, regional, and global levels➡️ Sustainability linked advisory services➡️ Training and facilitation across organisations and with other key stakeholders➡️ Change management to support embedding sustainability across the business.And we can work across multiple languages – English, French, Flemish, Arabic, German, and Polish. Get in touch if you'd like to know more....

7 Benefits of Stakeholder Engagement

November 4, 2024February 25, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

How many times have you developed a stakeholder map for it to end up lost? You resurrect it when trouble hits or you’re required to demonstrate that you’ve ‘done’ stakeholder engagement. So what are some of the benefits of stakeholder engagement? Business is about relationships – whether you’re start-up or a large business, government, or an NGO. The success or failure of any policy or product starts and ends with stakeholders. Failure to engage can cost time, money and reputation, and lead to a great idea going nowhere. Engagement is an ongoing process throughout the lifecycle of your policy or product. In this post, I’ll be outlining some of the benefits, and pitfalls, of stakeholder engagement. I have also written about some of the key principles of stakeholder engagement here. What is stakeholder engagement? Stakeholder engagement is the process by which an organisation involves people who may be affected by the decisions it makes or by its implementation. It is more than just communication. Communication will only...

Navigating the new European Sustainability Reporting landscape

July 30, 2024March 20, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Earlier this month, I partnered with Submit.com to deliver a presentation on navigating the evolving European sustainability reporting landscape. Key Insights Covered:✅ Understanding the latest ESG reporting requirements✅ Compliance with CSRD, SFDR, and EU Taxonomy✅ Best practices for sustainable data management Want to stay ahead in sustainability reporting? Get in touch to discuss how I can support your ESG strategy 2407 Navigating the European sustainaiblity reporting landscapeDownload...

Dr. Sophie Taysom at the RICS Building Surveying Conference

May 19, 2024March 20, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

I was pleased to have had the opportunity to speak at the RICS Building Surveying Conference in London. Session Topic: Unlocking the Path to Net Zero My session, “Unlocking the Path to Net Zero: Strategies for Effective Integration of Sustainability,” will provide practical insights on achieving Net Zero in the built environment. Key Discussion Points: 🔹 Building the Business Case for ESG & Sustainability – Demonstrating long-term value🔹 The Market Opportunity – Why sustainability is a competitive advantage🔹 The Value of Data for Decision-Making – Leveraging insights for better outcomes🔹 Turning ‘Green’ Ambitions into Reality – Implementing actionable strategies The session will also address:🔹 Overcoming key challenges in sustainability adoption🔹 Engaging stakeholders to drive lasting change🔹 Creating a sustainability-focused culture in real estate and construction Interested in working with me? Get in touch to explore ESG solutions for your organisation. 2405 Unlocking the Path to Net Zero Strategies for Effective Integration of Sustainability (4)Download *And with thanks to Gary Powell for the photos!...

ESG for start-ups and SMEs in real estate – where to start

December 4, 2023December 28, 2023 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

The trend towards Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations has accelerated over the last two years. And much of this focus is on real estate. My focus here is on ESG for UK based start-ups and SMEs across the built environment. There’s good reason for this increased focus given that the built environment accounts for 39% of global carbon emissions. With the upsruge in extreme weather events globally, and with the impact of COVID-19, there is also now a much greater awareness of how our buildings and public spaces affect our health, our wellbeing, our communities, and indeed even our infrastructure. ESG in real estate has moved from niche to normal. This is a result of capital requirements, new and emerging regulatory requirements, and a growing demand from investors, clients and employees. And we’re seeing larger asset owners and investors take up the challenge. But from many of my conversations, it's clear that challenges remain for start-ups and SMEs. Taking action now...

ESG in BTR: From strategy to practice on social considerations

September 19, 2023October 3, 2023 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

On the 17th of October, in partnership with Hannah Durden from CNZW, we'll be discussing moving from strategy to practice on social considerations. We will discuss what addressing social considerations means for investors and businesses, at corporate and site level. The focus will be on practical steps that developers and asset owners can embed across their organisations and assets, including Health & Safety, tackling modern day slavery, health and wellbeing for employees, tenants, and in contributing social value. You can sign up here. This is the second of the three part series on ESG in BTR. You can read up on the first event here and there's a link to a copy of the slides....