Three steps to improve your GRESB star rating
When it comes to GRESB, your star rating matters. The higher your rating, the more attractive your portfolio is to investors and stakeholders. A good rating not only allows you to demonstrate how strong your sustainability practices are, but also helps you to benchmark against peers, verify your claims, and improve your overall reputation.
With all these benefits of performing well, you’ll want to make sure you have every chance of a high star rating in 2026. Whether you're looking to boost your rating or unlock the full value of your disclosure, we're here to help you. In this article, Verco's GRESB AP Certified team members suggest three ways you can improve your GRESB star rating.
1. Reduce risk and assure
GRESB places a high value on reliability, so it’s important to show that your reporting is accurate and trustworthy. A third-party assurance assessment meets this requirement by verifying that the data in your submission is reliable.
Extra GRESB points are awarded to those who assure their data externally, against a recognised standard and using an independent third party. Assured data can boost your Management and Performance components, influencing your overall score. It can also point out risks that might affect your rating (and overall performance) negatively, giving you time to address them.
2. Focus on reliable, whole-building data coverage
Tenant data coverage is a priority when it comes to achieving the maximum GRESB points in the Performance component. It can be challenging to collect, but GRESB rewards entities for reporting on whole-building data, not just the areas controlled by landlords.
Collecting whole-building data should include all energy, waste and water. This scores you well on data coverage. Having strong or consistent data coverage also means you’re eligible for the potential 2.5 points of ‘energy efficiency’ or ‘like-for-like’.
The ability to collect tenant data also signals that you’re actively collaborating with tenants on sustainability initiatives. This indicates that your data management and stakeholder engagement processes are effective.
Therefore, by moving from partial coverage to whole-building coverage, you can gain points across multiple indicators. This could push your score above the next percentile threshold and improve your star rating.
3. Confidently set targets
Formal, measurable and net-zero-aligned GHG targets earn a high number of GRESB points in the Targets indicator (T1.2) because they show both ambition and accountability. Having other long-term performance improvement targets (T1.1) can also improve your points, with a minimum of 3 needed to achieve maximum points.
Pathway modelling, such as the development of a CRREM v2 1.5C pathway, can also strengthen your score, particularly under the Risk Assessment and Management indicators. This is because it demonstrates that you’ve assessed the relevant transition risks, created a credible decarbonisation plan, and formed a strategy for future-proofing your business.
Want better GRESB scores and real ROI on GRESB support?
We offer support at all stages of the GRESB submission process
Now more than ever, businesses need GRESB expertise to keep up with the competition (and GRESB’s changes) and achieve scores worthy of recognition. Submissions must be prepared and checked to the highest standard if scores and benchmarking reports are to truly reflect an organisation’s efforts and successes.
Verco’s accredited GRESB professionals help clients regularly achieve 4 or 5 stars. Those who work with us tend to score 5 points or more above the GRESB average. We’re also a GRESB Premier Partner, which means we provide feedback that helps guide GRESB’s decisions, and we’re always up to date with the latest changes.
As part of our GRESB services, we provide:
full project management, including regular progress updates and indicator tracking, which you can use to keep your stakeholders informed;
a ‘Points Hunter’ service, helping to identify weaknesses and strengthen your submission;
internally developed tools that can help with indicator status tracking, entity-level tracking and asset-level analysis; and
systematic reviews, so you can sign off the project work at every stage of the submission.
Find out more about our GRESB services
We provide both pre-assurance and assurance services
If an assurance assessment is on your horizon, our experts can explain what to expect from the assurance process based on your current performance. You get advice on the strengths and risks of your current strategy, allowing you to develop your understanding of what to address most urgently.
Find out more about pre-assurance
Our assurance team can carry out an assurance assessment and deliver a formal, independent assurance statement, giving you credibility with investors, regulators and rating agencies like GRESB. Whether you’re looking to boost your rating or unlock the full value of your disclosure, we’re here to help you shine.