Better Health for All

Great Portland Estates PLC (GPE) demonstrates a strategic focus on integrating health and well-being into its core real estate business. The company's developments target high sustainability standards, such as BREEAM 'Excellent' ratings, and aim for WELL certification for enhanced occupant health, including biodiverse features to promote wellness

. GPE utilizes digital twin technology in properties like The Hickman to monitor and optimize indoor conditions such as air quality, temperature, and light, which potentially improves health outcomes . The company's Sustainable Development Brief guides design to consider occupant wellbeing and improvements to the public realm . GPE's business activities do not generate revenue from products with negative health outcomes. Furthermore, GPE aims for net-zero carbon and a 60% reduction in energy usage for developments like 50 Finsbury Square, which contributes to positive health externalities by mitigating pollution .

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Great Portland Estates PLC (GPE) operates as a real estate investment trust, focusing on developing and managing commercial properties.

Its core business activities do not involve providing financial services, accessible lending, or microloans to consumers. Consequently, GPE does not offer lending or deposit services, consumer credit products, or generate customer finance data. The company is not regulated as a lender, does not provide debt products to consumers, and does not operate financial service access points. While GPE supports community initiatives, such as donating £325,000 to 28 charities focusing on homelessness, mental health, vulnerable groups, and education during the COVID-19 pandemic, and partnering with Centrepoint to support homeless youth, these activities are not identified as specific 'community finance' or 'profit-sharing' programs with underserved communities.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

All 152 direct employees of GPE are paid above the London Living Wage as of the financial year ending March 2025.

In 2023, the company implemented a Share Incentive Plan, allowing employees to purchase shares with matching shares awarded by the company. An employee engagement survey in March 2023 reported an EEI score of 84%. The company has no zero-hours contracts in place. For the year ended March 2025, there were no reports to the confidential whistleblowing helpline or other monitoring processes involving modern slavery concerns, and allegations of unlawful conduct were not substantiated following an independent investigation in October 2025.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

GPE reported zero incidents of slavery, forced labor, or human trafficking within its business or supply chain for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The company has a Supplier Code of Conduct and a Service Partners Code of Conduct that explicitly prohibit involuntary, forced, human-trafficked, child, and slave labor. Modern slavery and ethical labor KPIs and expectations are included in all major supplier contracts. GPE conducts ongoing risk assessments of modern slavery and trafficking, identifying construction and refurbishment as high-risk areas. A 'Back of House' audit on two service partners identified a potential payment practice risk, which was escalated for resolution. GPE encourages suppliers to engage with responsible sourcing standards like BES 6001 and BES 6002. All construction and refurbishment work is mandated to be registered under the Considerate Contractors Scheme. GPE uses Safety Systems in Procurement (SSIP) prequalification schemes, including accreditation under the Common Assessment Standard (CAS). Formal feedback is sought quarterly from Occupier Services Managers on service partner performance. All direct employees are paid more than the London Living Wage. GPE promotes responsible sourcing through its 'Brief for Creating Sustainable Spaces' and has implemented a circularity score to encourage material reuse, such as reusing steel at 2 Aldermanbury Square.

Honest & Fair Business

GPE is positioned 16th out of 961 companies in the Real Estate industry group by Sustainalytics, with an ESG Risk Rating of 7.3, indicating a negligible level of ESG-related controversies.

The company has a comprehensive Whistleblowing Policy, including a confidential external hotline (Safecall) operated by an independent third party, with annual employee sign-off. Initial reports are investigated by internal counsel or the senior independent director, and external investigators are appointed in some cases, with Non-Executive Directors overseeing investigations by independent law and forensic accounting firms. A recent investigation concluded with no findings of unlawful conduct, and zero modern slavery concerns were reported via the helpline for the year ended March 2025. GPE also maintains a Financial Crime Policy covering anti-fraud, bribery, corruption, and tax evasion. Employees complete annual attestations, and training on modern slavery risks is provided to new joiners and refresher content to relevant staff, supported by third-party ethical labour reviews and 'Back of House' audits for higher-risk industries.

Kind to Animals

Great Portland Estates PLC (GPE) is a real estate investment trust, and its core business model does not involve activities such as product manufacturing, animal testing, animal husbandry, or sourcing animal-derived ingredients. Consequently, most animal welfare-related KPIs are not applicable to the company's operations. While GPE has initiatives related to urban greening, enhancing green spaces, and supporting biodiversity

, the provided articles do not contain specific, measurable data on wildlife conservation impact, such as species recovery metrics or documented population increases, which are required for scoring the 'wildlife_conservation_impact' KPI.

No War, No Weapons

Great Portland Estates PLC (GPE) is a real estate investment trust focused on commercial properties in central London, generating revenue from rental income and property sales. Its core business is entirely unrelated to arms manufacturing, military contracts, or conflict facilitation. Consequently, the company has no revenue from arms or defense contracts

, no dual-use technology , no sales to embargoed regimes , and no defense-related assets or operations to oversee or divest . There is no indication of involvement in intelligence, surveillance, or any activities that would require ethical red lines related to weapons or compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty . The company's operations are confined to central London, indicating no assets or procurement from conflict-exposed regions. Specific information regarding peacebuilding investment, humanitarian procurement compliance, UN Guiding Principles alignment, and conflict minerals was not provided .

Planet-Friendly Business

Great Portland Estates PLC sources 25% of its annual electricity consumption from renewable sources, including a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement with Ørsted and on-site solar panels

. The company has achieved a 66% reduction in carbon intensity and a 32.2% reduction in energy intensity compared to its 2016 baseline . 43% of its property portfolio is rated EPC B or above . GPE has allocated £768,000 to its decarbonisation fund since 2021, applying an internal carbon price of £95 per tonne . Its first net zero carbon building is located at 50 Finsbury Square . The company also employs circular economy principles, such as reusing structural steel at 2 Aldermanbury Square, which is expected to save around 1,000 tonnes of carbon .

Respect for Cultures & Communities

The company has no reported cultural appropriation incidents.

Its operations, focused on commercial properties in central London, do not appear to involve contexts where cultural impact assessments or issues of cultural appropriation, as defined by the rubric (e.g., indigenous peoples, traditions, heritage), are directly applicable.

Safe & Smart Tech

Great Portland Estates (GPE) has integrated smart technologies into its properties, with The Hickman building achieving the WiredScore SmartScore Platinum rating in July 2021 for its tech-enabled office space

. The Hickman utilizes a digital twin for real-time monitoring of various building parameters and a smart app for contactless access and control over services . GPE implements cybersecurity measures including regular employee awareness training on cyber risks , maintaining IT risk registers , regularly testing IT security , conducting penetration testing , and having a Cyber Third Party Management and Security Policy . The company also reviews its cyber security systems with external support and has cyber risk insurance . GPE's Privacy Notice outlines its dedication to personal data protection , using contact information for building management and CCTV for security .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

GPE requires design teams to address circular economy principles, aiming to retain materials in use and considering reuse, adaptation, or disassembly.

They also create adaptable spaces with materials passports to encourage dismantling at end-of-life. The company implements six waste reduction initiatives, including 'Designing Out Waste' workshops, careful programming, material standardization, off-site fabrication, waste swapping, and dedicated waste storage. GPE has company-wide waste reduction targets, aiming for 100% reuse or recycling of waste from development sites and operational waste, a minimum 95% diversion of excavation, demolition, and construction waste from landfill, and a construction waste target of 7.5m³ (or 6.5 tonnes) per 100m² of GIA. Designers, specifiers, contractors, and suppliers are expected to collaborate to minimize construction waste, and supplier take-back schemes are strongly encouraged. Through building management operations, GPE engages with occupiers and waste contractors to reduce on-site waste and ensure management according to the waste hierarchy.