News Archives -

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....

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 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....

UKAA Webinar – ESG in BTR: From strategy to practice on environmental considerations

August 20, 2023 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

I'm really pleased to be speaking alongside Hannah Durden from CNZW. We'll be discussing moving from strategy to practice on the E of ESG in Build to Rent on 6 September 2023. This is a webinar and it is open to members and non-members of the UK Apartments Association. It is free to attend. You can sign up here. ...

ANNOUNCEMENT – Dr. Sophie Taysom Appointed Ambassador to Connected Places Catapult

July 9, 2023March 20, 2025 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

I am delighted to announce my appointment as an Ambassador to Connected Places Catapult—the UK’s leading accelerator for cities, transport, and place leadership. Strengthening Innovation in Cities & Infrastructure As part of the Catapult’s newly formed Affiliates Network, I will contribute to advancing innovation ecosystems across business, government, and academia. The network is designed to enhance the reach and impact of Connected Places Catapult in shaping sustainable, smart, and future-ready places. Ambassador Role & Strategic Impact 🔹 Providing strategic advisory input to drive innovation🔹 Facilitating key industry connections across sectors🔹 Identifying strategic opportunities to maximise the Catapult’s initiatives Stay tuned for insights on smart cities, sustainable infrastructure, and place-based innovation! Interested in collaborating? Get in touch to explore opportunities in ESG, sustainability, and urban innovation....

Considering ESG in Construction

May 9, 2023September 21, 2024 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Today I had the opportunity to lead a discussion on Considering ESG in Construction alongside Hannah Durden. It was for the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry and open to all. I'll update as soon as they post the recording on their website. The aim was to make sense of ESG in construction, outline new and emerging market, policy and regulatory priorities, and provide examples on where to start on embedding ESG into business as usual. Slides below with a great short video on the circular economy from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Get in touch if you'd like to discuss how we might work together. 2305 Considering ESG in constructionDownload...

Event roundup – How to avoid greenwashing in real estate

April 25, 2023April 25, 2023 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Last week I had the opportunity to discuss how to avoid greenwashing in real estate. On the panel was: Jessica Pilz, Global Head of ESG, Fiera Real Estate, Katie Whipp, Head of Innovation & Strategy at Trustek and Iona Silverman, Partner at Freeths LLP. The event was moderated by Alex Dunn, Research Manager at the Cromwell Property Group. It was sponsored by RE: Women and The Society of Property Researchers, and hosted by Freeths. It was a really rich discussion. I raised a number of points I wanted to touch on here. The role of data First, and nothing new to anyone who’s seen me speak before – I stressed the importance of data in how to avoid greenwashing. And with that, it’s important to be clear about the accuracy of the data. I also stressed the need for it to be open, transparent, and externally verifiable. This of course is more difficult in considering the various ‘S’ elements of ESG, but not impossible. I also stressed...

Impact-led innovation: investors’ friend or foe?

February 17, 2023 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Last week I had the opportunity to take part in a panel discussion at Connected Places Catapult. The topic of discussion was ‘Impact-led innovation: investor’s friend or foe?’ The discussion was facilitated by Yusuf Chadun, the Catapult’s SME Investor Relations Manager. The other panelists were Arnold du Toit, Co-Founder and CEO WeSprint, and Rajiv Tanna, CO-Founder and CPO of Birdie. The discussion Given I work in ESG, it won’t have been surprising for me to say that impact led innovations, and being able to clearly evidence that impact, is an investor’s friend. As I flagged, I work with companies to develop their approach to ESG. I outlined that the focus of ESG is on risk management and sustainability in the broadest sense. We then moved on to discuss what we mean by impact-led innovation. For me, impact-led innovations are both longer terms, and focus on what’s termed the triple bottom line with its emphasis on profit, people and planet, as opposed to a...