PropertyGuru Group Limited (PropertyGuru), Southeast Asia’s leading1, property technology (PropTech) company, today announced the launch of Gurus for Good, PropertyGuru’s sustainability strategy and the release of its inaugural Sustainability Report for 2023. The report highlights PropertyGuru’s commitment to sustainability, which is reflected in its Gurus For Good strategy. The strategy leverages PropertyGuru’s proprietary data and analytics to enable right decisions for a sustainable future and to bring meaningful solutions for communities, addressing environmental and social challenges through innovative solutions and responsible business practices.
The strategy encompasses a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities that matter most to PropertyGuru’s internal and external stakeholders, as identified through an assessment of the Group’s material sustainability topics conducted in 2023.
This assessment laid the foundation for the three key pillars of the strategy – Sustainable Living, Thriving Communities and Responsible Business. These pillars guide PropertyGuru’s objectives in making informed choices and taking actions that look to benefit both the business and its communities.
Sustainable Living harnesses PropertyGuru’s deep expertise of the real estate business coupled with proprietary data and analytics to foster a sustainable future for its communities. Through Thriving Communities, the Group focuses its efforts on creating inclusive products through accessible design systems and a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination. With Responsible Business, the Group navigates diverse privacy, security, ethics and compliance regulatory frameworks.
Highlighting the launch of Gurus For Good strategy, Disha Goenka, Chief Marketing Officer, PropertyGuru Group, said, “When we first started focusing on sustainability many years ago, it was because we knew it was the right thing to do, not just for our industry, but for the communities where we operate too. Now, we’re formalising our approach by doubling down on our three strategic pillars that make up ‘Gurus For Good’. The strategy unifies our past and present sustainability initiatives into one holistic framework, which we will use to guide our journey.
Key Highlights from the Gurus For Good Strategy and Sustainability Report
Climate Action Responsibilities
- The real estate sector, responsible for approximately 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions, plays a crucial role in climate action. As a regional market leader, PropertyGuru is dedicated to contributing to this collective effort by actively working to reduce its GHG footprint.
- In 2023, PropertyGuru assessed their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to better understand their environmental impact. The key areas evaluated included business travel, cloud services, and the commuting and telecommuting practices of employees.
- Identifying the largest emission sources, such as business travel and cloud services, allows for prioritising reduction efforts, paving the way for a more sustainable future for the entire community.
Building Inclusive Communities
- At PropertyGuru, DEI is not just a strategic imperative but the natural outcome of a fair and transparent recruitment process. The goal is to build platforms where everyone can thrive, reflecting a commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.
- PropertyGuru is proud of their diverse workforce distributed across five countries and representing more than 35 nationalities. In terms of gender diversity, the Group has 63% female representation at the Group Level, 43% at the executive level and 33% at the board level.
- PropertyGuru is committed to combating discrimination in all forms. A multi-pronged approach includes strict advertisement guidelines, a language moderation engine, and a ‘report listing’ feature, significantly reducing discriminatory practices and fostering a more inclusive property market.
Data-Driven Solutions for a Sustainable Future
- The Liveability Index by PropertyGuru Group, piloted in Malaysia, provides insights into the quality of life in neighbourhoods by considering factors such as housing affordability, amenities, environmental conditions, transport accessibility, and job opportunities. This helps residents make informed decisions and supports urban planners and developers.
- PropertyGuru provides climate risk analysis by combining satellite imagery with complex modelling, their assessments identify the risks of flooding, storms, extreme heat, and other extreme weather events for any location under various climate scenarios and time horizons. This is particularly important in Malaysia, where recurrent flooding poses a significant risk.
- With the accessibility to these climate risk insights, PropertyGuru’s customers can better understand the impact of climate change on their projects and assets. This enables them to make informed decisions to reduce risks, future-proof their developments, and enhance their investment strategies.
For more information, download the PropertyGuru Sustainability Report 2023 here.
