London student accommodation provider urbanest have partnered with JLL's Sustainability Consulting team to establish a sector-leading sustainability strategy. This is set to bolster their existing ESG commitments.
urbanest offers 4,000 student beds across their central London portfolio of developments (including King’s Cross, Waterloo and in the City), partnering with London’s top universities – King’s College, UCL and LSE among them – to deliver high quality rooms with world-class environmental performance.
The collaboration will see JLL guide urbanest through a two-phase project that will establish robust ESG reporting requirements and devise a comprehensive sustainability roadmap. This is in addition to urbanest’s preexisting environmental and social commitments and position as one of London’s leading Passivhaus developers. By evaluating their business and incorporating the insights gained from JLL, urbanest will be well-equipped to achieve their long-term sustainability goals, enhance their standing amongst stakeholders and position themselves as the leader in sustainable development within the PBSA sector.
The tailored JLL service includes in-depth reviews of peer performance, legislation, reporting standards, investor expectations, and the exploration of data management options. The output from this phase will be a Disclosure Roadmap, outlining actionable steps based on identified frameworks and metrics, setting them on a path to integrate sustainability throughout their operations.
As the project progresses into the second phase, JLL will work closely with urbanest to develop a future-proofed sustainability strategy, building on the findings of Phase 1. Through extensive stakeholder engagement, the project will identify key ESG focus areas for urbanest, culminating in a set of clear targets backed up by a robust action plan. With a well-defined strategy in place and alignment with industry best practices, Urbanest can chart their journey of sustainability integration within their business while enhancing client experience, capturing cost savings opportunities and future-proofing the portfolio.
Claire Racine, EMEA head of ESG strategy at JLL, commented: “By leveraging JLL's dedicated ESG Reporting & Sustainability Strategy service, Urbanest will be able to deliver positive impacts and confidently navigate sustainability reporting requirements, ensuring they are well-prepared for the evolving demands of their industry. We very much look forward to working closely with them on this exciting project.”
Anthony Mellalieu, chief operating officer, Urbanest, commented: “Our partnership with JLL will provide us with a state-of-the-art roadmap to achieving sector leading sustainability developments. We’re excited and ready to start actioning these recommendations to continue providing vital high-quality student accommodation – helping to reduce the acute pressures on housing in London.”