Grosvenor Group reports 31% property emissions reduction and names first CSO

Grosvenor Group has announced a 31% reduction in direct property emissions since 2021, as well as the promotion of its Group Sustainability Director Tor Burrows to Chief Sustainability Officer.

Burrows is the first CSO at the real estate group, and says her new role marks “an exciting milestone in our journey to embed sustainability at the heart of everything we do”. She’s been at the firm since 2010 and in charge of its sustainability strategy since 2020.

Her appointment was announced this week as part of Grosvenor Group’s latest sustainability report – the first to cover global operations. The report shows that the firm has reduced direct property emissions by 31% since 2021, including a 42% reduction in its North American property business – reflecting both portfolio changes and reduction efforts.

Most of the emissions gains were achieved in new developments, which represented 45% of Grosvenor’s 2021 carbon footprint and have not been reduced to 35%. As of 2024, 47% of the company’s property portfolio has a 1.5°C-aligned carbon reduction pathway.

In addition, the company has baselined 53,000 hectares of natural capital across its rural estates, using techniques such as 3D laser scanning , soil carbon testing and environmental DNA, to inform a 25-year nature recovery plan. 

Commenting on the report, Burrows said: "At a time when political momentum around sustainability is stalling, I am proud to share Grosvenor's first global Sustainability Report, a clear reflection of our unwavering commitment to pursuing a more sustainable future. Across our international organisation, we are more determined than ever to tackle the environmental and social challenges of our time, driving real impact and unlocking new opportunities by cutting carbon, restoring nature and improving lives."

New developments and real estate sustainability scoring

To deliver on its sustainability goals, the company is betting on innovation for new developments. For instance, Grosvenor’s Brentwood Block in Vancouver, Canada, aims to deliver thousands of new homes with an all-electric energy-efficient design and transit-oriented, pedestrian focus. 

At the same time, it is having its North American buildings rated on sustainability metrics: the firm scored in line or above averages in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), which tracks ESG progress across more than 2,300 submissions. In the Standing Investment category, Grosvenor moved from a score of 76 in 2024 to 81 in 2025, while holding steady in the Development category with 89 points.

In addition, Grosvenor received a 100% rating on the Social metric and 90% on the Governance metric in this year’s GRESB score. 

Fostering nature for climate resilience

As the owner of 53,000 hectares of rural land, Grosvenor Group is also focusing on nature preservation and farming innovation for CO2 reduction. It is a backer of startups aiming to reduce the carbon intensity of the food system, such as AgriWebb, which helps farmers cut livestock emissions with real-time data, and TemperPack, which replaces polystyrene with sustainable packaging for food and pharma.

The firm is also leading a multi-million-pound transformation of London's Grosvenor Square to boost urban biodiversity through the introduction of 70,000 plants, 44 new trees and 80,000 bulbs. Read CSO Tor Burrow’s comments on how this development will support flood management and increase climate resilience here. 

Mark  Preston, Executive Trustee, commented: "From cutting carbon and restoring nature to improving people's lives through housing and community support, our progress is driven by a culture of innovation, collaboration and a deep sense of responsibility. While we are proud of what we have achieved, we recognise the challenge ahead is vast. That is why we remain ambitious, focused and committed to sharing what we learn — to pursue a more sustainable future for generations to come."