The commercial property giant, which is landlord to nearly 1,000 businesses in London’s West End, has joined ‘The Race to Zero’ initiative.That’s the global campaign backed by the United Nations to build momentum around the shift to a decarbonised economy ahead of COP26 in November. The goal is to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, at the very latest.

And it’s not alone. GBI is one of just 13 UK real estate companies, and one of 83 globally, with “validated science-based targets”.As part of this “incredible movement” GBI said it will engage with its tenants, suppliers and communities, to “continually seek ways to innovate and partner to build a sustainable, healthy and resilient future and encourage them to join us on this journey”, the company said.That could have huge implications for the fashion and lifestyle retailers renting space from the landlord with them likely to be held to much higher eco standards going forward. But while compliance can add costs and complications for retailers, it’s also something that should play well with the end user (the consumer) and will feed into initiatives that the retailers themselves are putting in place.In 2020, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland also published ‘Think Zero’, a detailed pathway to achieving net zero carbon, committing the business to reducing emissions by at least 52% by 2030. The pathway detailed both the business’s route to net zero but also the tools already deployed to meet its goals.Andy Haigh, director of Climate Positive Solutions for GBI, said: “From governments to local businesses, Race to Zero provides a vital focal point for the global groundswell of activity on climate action.“At Grosvenor, we strive to maximise our positive impact on communities, and to minimise negative impacts on the environment”, he added.