"I don't understand how anyone can fail to act sustainably!" It's statements like this that you hear relatively quickly when you first talk to Mira M. Hische about sustainability. Of course, she is a sustainability manager, but the issues of ecological and social responsibility that she has been promoting at Landmarken since July 1 are not only of interest to her in a professional context—they are also close to her heart!
Inhalt
- Economic success and sustainability – no contradiction
- Responsibility towards the environment, society, and the economy
- The path to sustainability – from sociology to corporate social responsibility (CSR)
- Reporting requirements: A clever lever for sustainability
- Opportunities and responsibilities in the construction and real estate industry
Economic success and sustainability – no contradiction
Mira M. Hische knows only too well that every venture must ultimately be commercially successful: she has not only worked as a sustainability manager, but also as a consultant and PR manager for companies in various industries, and has founded and developed two companies herself. She is a doer for whom attitude and accounting are not mutually exclusive. "Sustainability alsomeans economic sustainability. Companies have a profit motive; that is the core purpose of a company and, in my view, rightly so," she says. At the same time, Mira is convinced that all social actors, and thus companies in particular, must act responsibly in three dimensions: "This includes the environment, social aspects, economic efficiency, and good corporate governance. The stakeholders involved must also be considered holistically. In the case of a real estate company, these are primarily the employees, but also those who rent and use the property, as well as the local communities and conditions in which the company operates."
Responsibility towards the environment, society, and the economy
Born and raised in Hamburg, Mira came into contact with the real estate industry at an early age: "Right after graduating from high school, I started a dual degree program in real estate management in Berlin, but realized that the program didn't quite match my strengths. So I decided to focus consistently on my strengths." She transferred to the University of Mannheim and completed her studies in sociology and German language and literature—the topic of her thesis was "Housing in Old Age." In addition to social sciences and humanities courses, Mira also took selected business administration courses.
The path to sustainability – from sociology to corporate social responsibility (CSR)
it was through her management studies that she first encountered the topic of corporate social responsibility (CSR). "In 2007, this was a completely new topic in Europe, and there were hardly any independent courses on it. Anyone who wanted to learn more had to do so independently." Mira Hische wanted more. She was captivated by the topic of CSR and never looked back.
After gaining initial practical experience while still a student, she started her career at a management and communications consultancy specializing in sustainability. She quickly grew into the topic, became a project manager, and supervised large reporting projects, such as one for a major telecommunications group.
But she also became frustrated: "In my opinion, corporations were not taking the issue of sustainability seriously enough. When it got tough and sometimes hurt, namely in the core business, they didn't want to tackle it," she says in retrospect. "Why is there no incentive for customers to use a cell phone for longer than two years? Why are there big incentives to get a new cell phone when you renew your contract, but no motivation to continue using a device that still works?" Questions like these and the development of solutions never left her mind.
Reporting requirements: A clever lever for sustainability
What drives Mira Hische, what motivates her? Her answer is surprising at first: "The upcoming reporting requirement. A clever move by the European Union!" Reporting requirements as personal motivation? Seriously? But the answer is quite rational—and logical: "It has been clear for decades that we cannot continue to do business the way we have been doing it. Appeals such as those made by the Club of Rome back in 1968, the Rio Conference in 1992, and the Sustainable Development Goals initiated in 2015 are just three examples among many. Thanks to EU regulations, sustainable business practices are finally being taken seriously."
Opportunities and responsibilities in the construction and real estate industry
And the leverage is significant in the construction and real estate industry, which—depending on the figures collected—is likely to be responsible for around 30 to 40 percent ofCO2 emissions, but which can also contribute to meeting basic needs—keyword: living space. "In addition to responsibility, this also gives us creative freedom and effectiveness," says Mira, who always kept an eye on Landmarken when conducting market research for her previous employer. Why? "Because the company made a positive impression on me. Among German project developers, Landmarken seems to me to be one of the most sustainable."
During the initial discussions, a good feeling quickly developed: "I believe that we have a similar view of cooperation, that we listen to each other, meet on equal terms, weigh up factual arguments, and have a certain ambition to minimize or even resolve contradictions and dilemmas. I am delighted to be working with my colleagues to promote sustainability and prove that economics, ecology, and social issues can be reconciled and brought together under one roof." Mira is also extremely excited about being able to address the issue of circularity in the construction industry. "It's good that Landmarken is taking a well-founded and concrete approach to the circularity of buildings. And the fact that the Moringa project is being developed in my hometown of all places – it couldn't be better!"
Keyword: reporting requirements: At the end of 2022, the European Union agreed on extended reporting requirements for companies. This is the result of the new EU directive on corporate sustainability reporting (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, CSRD), which makes sustainability information a mandatory part of the management report. The reporting requirements of the CSRD have been in force since January 1, 2024, for a limited group of companies, which will be gradually expanded. From the 2025 financial year onwards, Landmarken will also report in accordance with the CSRD.
For a few years now, everyone has been talking about the acronym ESG, which stands for Environment, Social, and Governance. It expresses whether and how ecological and social aspects as well as the type of corporate governance are taken into account or evaluated in business practice.
