Gecina and 15 other companies launch a research program focused on the biodiversity footprint of real estate projects with support from the OID

Faced with clear findings indicating widespread biodiversity loss, 16 companies are joining forces to transform practices and transition towards a model that better respects the living world:

Aire Nouvelle, Altarea Cogedim, Amundi, BNP Paribas Real Estate, Bouygues Immobilier, Covea Immobilier, Crédit Agricole Immobilier, Gecina, Groupama Immobilier, Korian, Linkcity, LVMH, Nexity, Perial Asset Management, Groupe RATP, Schneider Electric.

BIG will be developed around three core pillars to build a shared frame of reference on biodiversity issues:

1. Creating metrics tools to assess the “benefits” of biodiversity on a real estate project (measuring impacts in terms of carbon, health or even urban cooling).
2. Developing a platform to map local contributions to biodiversity (monitoring biodiversity, visualizing the densification of buildings, etc.).
3. Putting in place arrangements for these tools to be taken on board by real estate industry stakeholders (managing a community to promote exchanges, publishing guides and frames of reference to support the upskilling of in-house teams).

The aim is to measure a building’s biodiversity-related impacts in order to track and monitor progress. This initiative will make it possible to clarify investors’ strategies, helping drive the convergence of economic stakeholders’ business and financial performance with their socioenvironmental performance. This work will bring together a range of stakeholders, from developers to major contracting authorities, public institutions and agencies, industry associations and biodiversity experts.

Sabine Desnault, Gecina’s Executive Director R&D, Innovation and CSR: “I am delighted and honored to see the outstanding dedication shown by the founding partners of the Biodiversity Impulsion Group (BIG) faced with the urgent need to protect biodiversity. This reflects their commitment to us transforming the real estate sector together by developing shared metrics and visualization tools. Convinced that our strength lies in our ability to cooperate, I would like to invite everyone who would like to get involved to join this initiative”.

Loïs Moulas, OID Chief Executive Officer: “Accelerating the ecological transition in the real estate sector has always been one of OID’s core pillars. BIG is therefore fully aligned with our purpose: uniting the various stakeholders together, encouraging the sharing of experiences and making it easier to take action, with full independence and transparency, focused on a goal benefiting the wider community”.