Our approach is guided by the UN Global Compact’s ten principles, covering climate and environment, labour rights, human rights, and business ethics and anti-corruption. As a signatory since 2011, these principles shape how we operate across philanthropic activities, investments, construction, and knowledge sharing.
In recent years, we have strengthened our efforts by conducting double materiality assessments, updated policies and guidelines, and expanded our climate accounts. Our ambition is to provide a transparent, structured account of the sustainability issues most relevant to our work – embedding responsibility into our data, daily operations, and strategic decisions.
Below, we briefly outline our ESG initiatives. Read more in our annual report 2025, in Danish.
Environment
Climate change, environmental impact, and resource use are key priorities for Realdania. We support the construction sector in reducing its climate footprint through philanthropic grants and mission-driven investments, and the work of Realdania By & Byg, where we preserve and restore historic properties.
Realdania By & Byg has set a target to reduce CO₂e emissions from heating across its property portfolio and uses life cycle assessments as a strategic tool across all properties. We also publish annual climate accounts, measuring our emissions across scope 1, 2, and 3.
Social
As a developer and philanthropic actor in the construction sector, Realdania has a responsibility for working conditions across the value chain. Realdania and Realdania By & Byg have signed the Danish Construction Sector's CSR Charter to ensure proper conditions on construction sites. Our philanthropic work also supports stronger communities and better quality of life—from local meeting places to buildings designed for vulnerable groups, and initiatives that promote diversity in the construction sector.
Our employees are a key resource in the organisation. We work actively to ensure high employee wellbeing, ongoing professional development, and good working conditions.
Governance
As a philanthropic association, integrity, transparency and accountability are fundamental to Realdania. Our policies and guidelines set clear standards for business ethics, compliance, and respect for human rights. These include our Code of Conduct, anti-corruption policy, whistleblower scheme, data ethics policy, and supplier code of conduct.
In our commercial investments, we integrate ESG considerations and practice active ownership through screening, engagement, and dialogue to influence the companies we invest in. We require external asset managers to be signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) or to have implemented equivalent principles.
Read more in the links below.
UN Global Compact principles
Read our Communication on Engagement to the UN Global Compact, which reports to our stakeholders on our work with implementing and promoting the UN Global Compact principles:
2025 Communication on Engagement: UN Global Compact
2023 Communication on Engagement: UN Global Compact
2021 Communication on Engagement: UN Global Compact
2019 Communication on Engagement: UN Global Compact