The internationally recognised GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment has awarded Melbourne’s EastLink tollway the top “5 Star” environmental, social and governance (ESG) sustainability rating for the sixth year in a row, and ranked EastLink within the top 25 of 549 infrastructure assets around the world.
GRESB is a mission-driven and investor-led organisation providing standardised and validated ESG data to the financial markets. Established in 2009, GRESB has become the leading ESG benchmark for real estate and, from 2016, infrastructure investments across the world.
EastLink has been awarded the top 5 Star rating for ESG sustainability in every year since the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment first commenced in 2016.
“As custodians of EastLink on behalf of the community, we care about our employees, customers, the environment and the long-term sustainability of the EastLink asset,” EastLink corporate affairs manager Doug Spencer-Roy said.
“To be awarded GRESB’s top 5 Star rating in six years out of six demonstrates that year after year, EastLink continues to be one of the world’s most sustainable infrastructure assets, that we take accountability for our decisions, and that we deliver on our sustainability commitments.”
This year, EastLink was ranked 24th globally out of the 549 infrastructure assets of all types that were assessed by GRESB, putting EastLink within the top 5 per cent.
Furthermore, in GRESB’s Transport (Road Companies) category, EastLink was ranked second in the world out of 48 road companies.
EastLink scored highly across all three sustainability pillars of the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment:
- Environment score: 29/29
- Social score: 44/45
- Governance score: 23/26.
EastLink’s overall GRESB asset score has increased significantly from 75/100 in 2019, to 91/100 in 2020, and to 96/100 in 2021.
By comparison, the average GRESB asset score in 2021 was 72/100.
“Since we opened EastLink in 2008, our attention has been concentrated on sustainably maintaining and operating this single tollway, with a customer focus, and with safety at the forefront of our decisions and actions,” Mr Spencer-Roy said.
“By encouraging ‘one team’ silo-free operations and sharing ideas across the organisation and our partners, we turn what we learn into smarter, more sustainable ways of working.
“EastLink’s performance in the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment reflects the dedication and commitment to improving ESG sustainability from everyone at EastLink, working together as a single team,” he concluded.
Along with the announcement of GRESB results, EastLink’s comprehensive Sustainability Report for 2021 has also been published on the EastLink website www.eastlink.com.au
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