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Sustainability Report 2018

Deutsche Wohnen publishes Sustainability Report 2018

• Sustainable and socially responsible investments in housing and climate protection
• Reduction in carbon emissions of 26,000 tonnes in 2018 reporting year
• Close to 60% of holdings evidence above-average energy efficiency performance for residential buildings in Germany
• Strategic sustainability programme focusing on high customer satisfaction

Berlin, 5 June 2019. Today, Deutsche Wohnen presented its Sustainability Report for the 2018 reporting year, prepared in accordance with guiding principles of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI Standards). Designed to complement the Annual Report, the Sustainability Report provides comprehensive information on the company's understanding of sustainability as well as details of the firm's sustainability performance.

A responsible approach to societal change

In its most recent report on its varied range of sustainability-oriented activities, Deutsche Wohnen is now publishing for the seventh time in accordance with the globally recognised GRI guiding principles. Michael Zahn, CEO of Deutsche Wohnen SE: "As one of the top three property companies in Europe, it is our responsibility to think, plan, build and manage more sustainably. We have therefore devoted our attention in particular to the topics of customer satisfaction, climate protection, demographic change, development of residential districts, and new construction, and we have achieved some important milestones. We see it as our ongoing responsibility to help shape societal change hand in hand with policymakers and the local community."

Key role for real estate sector in achieving climate policy goals

The building sector accounts for approximately 40% of energy consumption and around 30% of national climate emissions. Deutsche Wohnen therefore sees the real estate sector as having a key part to play in climate policy goals being achieved. This is why the company is making targeted and sustainable investments in improving the energy efficiency of its buildings and technical systems. In the reporting year, Deutsche Wohnen further improved the energy efficiency of its holdings and was able to reduce the portfolio's average annual energy consumption to 132.3 kWh/sqm (2017: 133.4 kWh/sqm). Currently, just under 60% of the Deutsche Wohnen portfolio performs better in terms of energy footprint than the average for residential buildings in Germany (135.5 kWh/sqm per annum). In its holdings and new builds, the company sees to it that they have an environmentally friendly energy supply by drawing on renewable energy sources, focuses on sustainable heat insulation using mineral wool or cellulose rather than polystyrene, and sources the communal electricity for 90% of its holdings from hydroelectric power. With these measures, Deutsche Wohnen achieved a reduction in carbon emissions of approximately 26,000 tonnes in the year under review.

Deutsche Wohnen in dialogue with customers and policymakers

Deutsche Wohnen is aware of the social responsibility it bears with all of its refurbishment measures. The company assumes most of the refurbishment costs itself and also ensures that a socially acceptable approach is taken to implementing the measures. The hardship rule ensures that our customers do not have to spend more than 30% of their household net income on their total rent as a result of so-called modernisation cost allocation. Deutsche Wohnen has also concluded cooperation agreements with various Berlin boroughs governing the responsible and socially acceptable execution of refurbishment measures for individual housing estates and for entire boroughs as a way of strengthening the districts.

Customer satisfaction as a key goal of the strategic sustainability programme

In 2017, Deutsche Wohnen drafted a broad strategic sustainability programme, which has been continuously further developed ever since. The programme paves the way for steering the sustainability-related objectives, which also contribute towards achievement of the corporate goals. Ambitious goals and measures were determined in five areas of action. Customer satisfaction is a top priority for Deutsche Wohnen. In this context, the project "Your Caretaker on the Estate" is being rolled out at all of the Berlin holdings, with the aim of increasing the presence of caretakers within the districts. The company additionally wishes to play an active part in making neighbourhoods more sustainable and liveable in the future too with extensive investments in the quality of its holdings and in the creation of new housing and by increasing its customer focus with services and smart home solutions.

Employees as a success factor

Motivated and qualified employees are the key to Deutsche Wohnen's corporate success. To hold on to its employees in the long term, Deutsche Wohnen offers them interesting development and career opportunities, fair and market-oriented remuneration and a good work-life balance. It also ensures its employees share in the company's success and rewards long-term staff loyalty. In 2018, Deutsche Wohnen increased its investments in HR development by around 16% to approximately EUR 860,000 in order to offer its employees optimum qualifications. The employees participated in approximately 21,000 hours of training in the year under review.

The current Sustainability Report and Sustainability Magazine are available for download at the following link: https://www.deutsche-wohnen.com/en/about-us/company/sustainability/ 

Deutsche Wohnen

Deutsche Wohnen is one of the leading publicly listed property companies in Germany and Europe with a business focus on managing and developing its portfolio, which consists mainly of residential properties. As at 31 March 2019, the portfolio comprised 167,119 units in total, of which 164,416 were residential and 2,703 commercial. The company is listed in the Deutsche Börse's MDAX and is also included in the leading indices EPRA/NAREIT, STOXX(R) Europe 600 and GPR 250.

Important note

This publication is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy securities.

To the extent that this document contains forward-looking statements, these are not facts and are recognisable by such words as 'will', 'expect', 'believe', 'estimate', 'intend', 'endeavour', 'assume' and similar expressions. These statements express the intentions, opinions or current expectations and assumptions of Deutsche Wohnen and the individuals acting in concert with it. The forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and forecasts that Deutsche Wohnen and the individuals acting in concert with it have made to the best of their knowledge, but do not make any claims as to their future accuracy. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are generally difficult to predict and are usually not within the control of Deutsche Wohnen or the individuals acting in concert with it. It should be remembered that the actual results or consequences may differ considerably from those mentioned or contained in the forward-looking statements.