Act reliably
Our Annual Report
Our Objectives and Key Performance Indicators
Vonovia positions itself as a green residential real estate company, aiming to become the market and innovation leader in sustainable residential environment construction. What this means for us:
- We build and manage our residential environment in a resource-efficient, economical and safe way.
- We reduce and bind harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
- We protect and promote a diverse range of plant and animal species in our planted areas.
- We are already preparing for the potential consequences of climate change and are focusing on building resilience.
- We involve those who live our neighborhoods in the design of their living environment and want to raise their awareness of environmental issues and inspire them to live in an environmentally conscious way.
- We see ourselves as responsible not just for ensuring that our own portfolio is designed in a way that adds ecological value, but also for providing the impetus needed for environmentally conscious action.
Medium to long-term Target (2030-2045): Successively redesigning and upgrading our neighborhoods to transform them into resilient communities of plant species and habitats.
Management Approach
We pursue a balanced approach, taking local requirements into account while leveraging standardized processes with consistently high quality. Our aim is to strengthen the ecological quality of our neighborhoods in the long term, while achieving efficiency and cost advantages in planning and implementation. By designing our open spaces to be resilient and close to nature, we enhance quality of life, promote biodiversity, and actively increase awareness of climate and environmental protection within the neighborhood.
We focus on four key aspects: promoting biodiversity, adapting to climate change, tenant participation, and the responsible use of resources. Our analysis is based on the ENCORE tool, which identifies material dependencies and impacts regarding biodiversity and ecosystems. According to ENCORE, the real estate sector shows no material impacts that significantly affect ecosystems. Nevertheless, we respond proactively to changing environmental conditions—such as increased heat, heavy rainfall, or loss of biodiversity—that can impact infrastructure, vegetation, and quality of life. Our measures help prevent these risks and safeguard the portfolio’s long-term viability.
Our standardized solutions are documented in a design manual, serving as a modular toolbox for ecological neighborhood design. Individual measures are selected through a qualitative development process, involving external experts like NABU. In various projects, different habitat types, nesting sites for insects, bats, and endangered birds, as well as green-blue infrastructure (e.g. water-retaining infiltration swales), have been piloted and implemented. We also consider DGNB neighborhood criteria on biodiversity and water cycles.
Digital planning and management processes are crucial for resource and cost-efficient implementation. This relies on a Geographic Information System (GIS), which transparently maps portfolio areas and links to systems like the tree and playground registry and the ERP system. Sustainability features—such as insect hotels, habitats, cisterns, or trenches—are continually added, enabling targeted management and ESG documentation.
Operational tasks are handled by our Residential Environment Service and selected partners. Focusing on the German portfolio, our Residential Environment Service employs around 1,300 people dedicated to maintaining open spaces and carrying out major gardening and landscaping projects. This ensures holistic consideration and sustainable development of ecological, social, and economic aspects within our neighborhoods.
Our Contribution to
Biodiversität
Links
- Click here to visit our data and reports site
- Click here for our ESG Factbook 2025