Environmental, Social & Governance

Venn, as part of the ESR Group, takes an active approach towards sustainability and aims to create real value not only for our investors, but also for the users and communities of the assets we invest in.

“We believe that a sustainability led mindset is essential to delivering long term success. This mindset has directed our assessment and management of the ESG aspects of our business and provides a positive ethical impact on our own corporate performance and our investments, whilst also benefitting both the environment, local communities and the wider society.”

Gary McKenzie-Smith, Managing Partner

Our commitment towards sustainability is based on a foundation of robust ESG principles across the following two dimensions of behaviour:

• Our firm and our people;
• Our investments – strategies, investment selection and monitoring.

In March 2025, Venn became a signatory to the British Property Federation’s Net Zero Pledge.

“Venn is pleased to join the BPF Net Zero Pledge, demonstrating our commitment to a sustainable industry. We are excited to collaborate with other signatories to accelerate climate action and transition to net zero. This pledge reflects our dedication to environmental stewardship and the well-being of our community.”

Luke Venables, Chief Financial Officer

Environmental

• A Carbon Footprint Standard CO₂ Assessed organisation, minimising the impact of its operations and continually improving its environmental performance, including a commitment to be carbon neutral
• A signatory to the British Property Federation’s Net Zero Pledge
• Compliant-ready across all relevant legislation, regulations and appropriate codes of practice
• Transparency: Venn will foster environmental awareness and understanding in our business and our stakeholders through regular engagement and reporting
• Extensive due diligence, where relevant/appropriate, to assess the environmental implications of an investment

Social

• Employee training promoting the awareness and understanding of ESG and ED&I issues within the business
• Ensuring employee well-being across physical and mental health
• Job Opportunities: Venn is committed to being an equal opportunities employer and backs this up by aiming to identify candidates from a range of backgrounds in its recruitment process
• 1-1-1 Model: 1% of each of Venn’s profits and people’s time are given to support community causes, together with a commitment by the firm to be carbon neutral
• Evaluation of the social benefit and community enhancement of an investment or strategy

Governance

• Top-down board level responsibility for ESG and Responsible Investment issues
• Stringent governance: Venn actively operates a code of ethics and policies for each of anti-money laundering, conflicts of interest, disciplinary and grievance, monitoring, inducements, gifts and anti-bribery, market conduct, personal account dealing and data security
• Transparency: We maintain a transparent management structure with robust internal procedures and controls
• Corporate behaviour: Venn insists on the highest levels of personal and professional integrity, professionalism, and honesty from its staff
• Due diligence to assess strength of stakeholders’ corporate governance

In September 2023, we were proud to become a member of the Academy of Real Assets, an organisation seeking to help young, socially diverse people interested in a career in real estate. Partnering with schools, youth organisations and philanthropic groups, the Academy delivers a programme of workshops, site visits and work experience opportunities for young people, aimed at increasing socioeconomic diversity in real estate and real assets. One of our employees is a member of the Academy’s Youth Board and several employees have enjoyed spending time volunteering at various Academy organised events.

To mark World Volunteering Day on 5th December, ten employees volunteered throughout November and December at the Soup Kitchen, near Tottenham Court Road. This is an excellent charity, playing a vital role in supporting the homeless, elderly, isolated and vulnerable people of London.

Team members gave their time to assist Heath Hands with its daily conservation and garden maintenance, on Hampstead Heath. Heath Hands helps conserve 350 hectares of unique green space in North London, delivering a wide range of volunteering community, educational and nature related projects. Our enthusiastic team spent the day pruning, weeding and clearing!

For the second year running, brave team members once again slept out on the streets for one night to raise awareness and money for the homelessness charity Streets of London. The team raised over £1,870, which will be used to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

We donated several items of decommissioned IT equipment to the Turing Trust for redistribution to socially disadvantaged communities in Africa. Thanks to our donation 756 students will be able to learn vital IT skills, and beyond this the environmental impact from our donation will offset 12 tonnes of CO2 emissions, (the equivalent of planting 29 trees). The embodied energy savings created being enough to power 3 UK homes for an entire year!

One of our employees participated in the London Marathon raising funds for Coram, a charity aimed at improving the lives of children from disadvantaged socio-economic economic backgrounds. A total of £2,436 was raised, with the firm making a donation of £1,000.

We were delighted to provide support to the KBS Academy, in Nigeria, by donating and arranging the transportation of a range of much needed IT and computer equipment. KBS Academy provides the local women in Abuja with essential computer skills to assist with career development opportunities and enhancement.

Together with the ESR Group , we celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8th March, with the women in the office enjoying a spa trip to celebrate the camaraderie of working together and supporting one another. To coincide with IWD, we also organised a donation drive for women’s work wear in aid of Smart Works, a charity focused on encouraging and supporting disadvantaged women seeking to return to work. The firm also made a financial donation to Smart Works, through their cycle for Smart Works event, whereby a number of staff each cycled over 100 miles from 23rd February to 8th March and raised £1600.

In October 2023, six brave team members slept out on the streets for one night to raise awareness and money for the homelessness charity Streets of London. The team raised over £3,500, which will be used to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

In October 2023 and again in April 2024, employees spent the day volunteering at We Are Grow agroecological farm and outdoor learning hub, at the Totteridge Academy in North London. We Are Grow works with schools and local communities delivering bespoke programmes in sustainable food growing and outdoor learning. Our enthusiastic team spent the day weeding and clearing, sorting and labelling produce.

Team members braved the elements for 2023’s (wet and windy) Landaid 10k in Regent’s Park, raising much needed funds for young people experiencing homelessness.

On 6 April 2023, 8 employees volunteered at City Harvest, a charity that collects surplus food from all segments of the food industry and then redistributes it to those that need it the most. Employees spend a busy day sorting through food donations and making deliveries.

We recently provided support to Freedom School, Moniya, in Nigeria, donating and arranging the transportation of a range of much needed I.T. and computer equipment. This project was completed alongside Power House Community Networks, a UK registered charity that sponsors social action via community outreach events.

In October, Vicky To successfully completed the London Parks Half-Marathon, raising much needed funds in support of Smart Works. This amazing charity sources workwear for women from disadvantaged backgrounds in order that they can attend job interviews whilst also providing interview training and support.

On 14 June 2022, 11 August 2022 and 23 February 2023, a team of enthusiastic employees gave their time to assist Coram with the clean-up of their Creative Therapies Pears Pavilion play-area and surrounding gardens, at the site’s headquarters at Brunswick Square. The work involved introducing lots of topsoil and bark chippings together with weeding and raking as well as general garden maintenance.

On 12 and 13 May, Venn took part in the second ARA Chiltern Classic. ARA and friends cycled some 150kms of inclines and escarpments around the Chilterns Massif to raise over £15,000. These much-needed funds were donated to two extremely worthy causes: Coram and the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

On 24 November 2021, in conjunction with Thames 21, employees participated in a Vegetation Management Project alongside the River Brent in Perivale Park. This was a physically demanding activity that involved ‘scrub bashing’, cutting back small trees, nettles and other plants in order to create a small path running alongside the river. Opening up areas along the river’s bank encourages river vegetation, thereby improving the local ecosystem and benefitting wildlife whilst also providing greater access to the area for the local community to enjoy.

On 15 July 2021, we teamed up with Thames 21 to participate in a Thames River Charity Clean-up. 22 team members worked with grit and determination to pick up over two large containers full of rubbish, including hundreds of wet wipes, plastic items, clothing, shoes and other debris. Thames 21 mobilises thousands of volunteers every year to clean and green the capital’s 400-mile network of waterway, which provides a huge benefit to local communities, wildlife and the environment. We were delighted to play our part in helping the environment.

Over the years, we have supported the charities highlighted below.

ESR Highlights

ESR Accolades