Catholic Assicurazioni is awarded for the fourth time at theIPE Real Estate Global Conference & Awards 2021 of Copenhagen, an international initiative now in its seventeenth edition, which rewards excellence and innovation in real estate investments by institutional operators from all over the world. The jury appreciated the key effort Esg in the sectors of renewable energies (already since 2012), agriculture, health and the education sector.
The only Italian company among the winners, Cattolica stood out for its ESG approach, obtaining the first prize in the "Other countries & regions" category, for the Perseide Energie Fund and for the Ca' Tron H-Campus Fund also participated by the CDP Group .
Both funds are managed by Finint Investments SGR, an asset management company of the Banca Finint Group, with the collaboration of Cattolica Immobiliare. The first is a real estate fund launched in October 2012 and dedicated to investments in energy production plants from renewable sources, subscribed by various Group companies. In 2020 it achieved two important ESG objectives: 69 MWh of energy produced from renewable sources and 34 tonnes of carbon dioxide saved.
Instead, the second is the real estate fund 60% subscribed by Cattolica Assicurazioni (the remaining 40% is held by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti), which allowed, also here with an active role of the subsidiary Cattolica Immobiliare, the creation of H-FARM Campus, of the H-FARM innovation platform, inaugurated in September 2020.
It is the largest and most important center dedicated to training and innovation at European level, a stone's throw from Venice, it extends over an area of 51 hectares of which only 10% is built: the remaining 90% is intended for park greenery, open to the public, where over 3.500 new trees have been planted. Designed to accommodate up to over 3 people, including 2 students, the Campus, which is totally sustainable and architecturally with zero impact on the area, has earned the Zanon Associati studio the 2020 Italian Architect Award.
“The award, certified by the prestigious jury of the IPE Real Estate Global Conference & Awards 2021, confirms the validity of our ESG approach characterized by a marked sensitivity towards emerging issues – declared Maximus of Tria, Chief Investment Officer of the Cattolica Assicurazioni Group -. A sensitivity sealed with the adherence to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment which guide our action on a daily basis in our role as institutional investors. It is now clear that attention to sustainability is an effective risk management tool”.
Salvatore Ciccarello, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Cattolica Immobiliare SpA, commented: “Diversification continues to be the winning strategy in the real estate sector, which is confirmed to be even more selective than in the past. It is not only a matter of attention to the geographical contexts in which to operate, but also and above all to the asset classes in which to invest. Cattolica Immobiliare, as demonstrated by this award at the IPE Real Estate Global Conference, obtained for the third consecutive year, has already adopted this philosophy for a decade, faithful to an approach that does not limit the concept of "sustainability" to green issues. By extending our action to non-traditional sectors as well, we are convinced that we will still be able to carry out new operations destined to give us satisfaction and returns".
