UK-based commercial property investment manager Orchard Street Investment Management announced the appointment of Kathryn Barber as Head of Responsibility and ESG.

In her new role, Barber will focus on building Orchard Street’s credentials as a responsible investor, and the integration of ESG across client portfolios.

In addition, Barber will support the delivery of social and environmental impact on behalf of the firm’s inaugural Impact Fund, Orchard Street Social and Environmental Impact Partnership. The firm announced the launch of the impact fund in 2022, targeting real estate investment opportunities with the potential to generate a measurable social and environmental impact, with focus areas including decarbonising existing buildings, investing in local communities, and making buildings healthier for those that live and work in them through improvements in air quality, access to green spaces and the addition of wellness amenities.

Barney Rowe, Partner at Orchard Street and Portfolio Manager for the Impact Fund, said:

“Responsible and impactful investing is at the heart of what we do at Orchard Street, whether that’s through decarbonising existing buildings, investing in local communities or thinking about how we design or upgrade amenity-rich buildings to increase wellness and productivity. Kathryn’s entire career has been focused on driving the ESG agenda forward within the UK real estate industry, and her wealth of experience will be important to the growth of our Impact fund and the acceleration of our broader sustainability strategy.”

Barber joins Orchard Street from property investment and development company, where she most recently Sustainability Lead – Portfolio and Social Impact, with responsibility for co-delivering the company’s roadmap to net zero at portfolio level, pioneering a social impact strategy, and overseeing mandatory sustainability reporting obligations. She has also held sustainability-related roles at companies including Intu Properties, Prudential and Hammerson.

Barber said:

“Now, more than ever, it is imperative that industry leaders understand their role in pushing boundaries to deliver long-term responsible returns through a careful alignment of ESG risks and opportunities. Orchard Street is a market leader in this respect, with a strong track record of delivering both environmental and social impact, and I look forward to working in a team that is directly delivering a positive impact for investors and our shared global future.”