GRESB Foundation Board Member Profile: Dirk Krupper

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What sustainability topics are you most interested in?

• Real Estate Assessments 
• Post Occupancy Evaluation 

What motivated you to join the GRESB Foundation Board?

I have been involved with GRESB for more than five years as part of our fund-of-funds business. Our goal is for all portfolio investments to participate in the benchmark. In my role as managing director, I would like to support the further development of GRESB and increase its usage by investment partners. 

How does your organization view sustainability and what is your organization’s approach to responsible investing?

For Helaba Invest, sustainability is an integral part of its operations as an asset management company. Sustainability factors are viewed not merely as regulatory requirements, but as part of a forward-looking investment approach that identifies risks and opportunities at an early stage and supports sustainable transformation. 

We view sustainable business practices as a fundamental pillar of our strategic direction. We are convinced that only a business model focused on sustainability can serve as the foundation for long-term stability and success. 

Our investment decisions are a key driver in the transition toward a sustainable economy. We therefore aim to actively contribute to sustainable growth and social prosperity in close collaboration with our customers and employees. Based on this commitment, we integrate social and environmental considerations into our actions alongside economic factors.  

The Sustainable Investment Framework (SIF) outlines our sustainability strategy for the investment sector and is a pillar of the Sustainable Finance Framework of our parent company, Helaba. 

How does your organization use GRESB and its data?

We use the Real Estate Benchmark for manager selection and to regularly assess performance against strategic targets, in line with our clients’ requirements. 

In brief, can you tell us where you think sustainability needs to go in the future and what role organizations like GRESB will play?

The future of sustainability lies less in reporting alone and more in the measurable improvement of sustainability performance and its contribution to long-term value creationInvestors increasingly need reliable, comparable, and financially relevant sustainability data. Organizations such as GRESB will therefore continue to play an important role in the future by providing standardized benchmarks for real estate and infrastructure investments, fostering transparency, and helping investors systematically assess sustainability and climate risks as well as operational performance.