Riihimäki Kotikulma made responsibility measurable and translated it into financial value. When sustainability and ESG data is mapped, measured, and reported transparently, the requirements for green financing are easier to meet. This can be reflected directly in financing margins and overall costs.
Challenge: No Baseline, No Proof of Impact
At Kotikulma, sustainability was clearly a priority, but one essential piece was missing: a measurable baseline. Without it, it was hard to pinpoint improvement opportunities or show the impact of their efforts to financiers and other stakeholders.
"We didn't have the expertise or the resources to do this ourselves. We needed a service that would make sustainability visible in numbers - reliably and transparently," says CEO Satu Lehtinen.
Solution: A Clear, Data-Driven View Across the Portfolio
The collaboration with Selko Insights directly addressed Kotikulma's needs. The result was a comparable, facts-based overall analytics view that supports decision-making and meets financiers' information requirements.
The service is based on industry practices and international sustainability standards. Reporting is carried out in line with the EU's voluntary sustainability reporting standard (VSME), and the service also provides property-level emissions and energy-efficiency analytics.
For Riihimäki Kotikulma, it was important that:
- calculations are based on established industry standards
- results are comparable
- data collection is reasonable and does not place an excessive burden on the organization
- data provides visibility into the climate impacts of the property portfolio
"Data collection was well organized and user-friendly. Surprisingly quickly, we were able to compile the necessary information," Lehtinen explains.
Fast Results and Ongoing Customer Support
The work progressed quickly. The report was completed soon after the agreement was signed, and collaboration remained close throughout the process.
"The service exceeded our expectations. Communication was active throughout, and the report was developed together based on our wishes," Lehtinen says.
The finished report is a clear package that serves both decision-making and expert use. The calculation principles and interpretation of the results are explained transparently.
Tangible Benefit: Better Financing Terms
One of the most significant benefits of sustainability reporting for Kotikulma relates to financing. Increasingly, a requirement for green financing is that sustainability and ESG data is mapped, monitored, and communicated openly.
"We see a direct financial benefit here. When corporate responsibility and sustainable practices can be demonstrated reliably, it can be reflected directly in loan interest margins," Lehtinen says.
In municipal real estate, where bank financing can account for up to 50% of the cost structure, the impact is significant.
Best Fit: Organizations Ready to Make Sustainability Measurable
Based on Kotikulma's experience, Selko Insights is especially well suited for organizations that:
- are at the early stage of their sustainability work
- do not have in-house expert resources
- need a clear, numbers-based overall picture and analytics
- want to assess the climate impacts and sustainability profiles of their property portfolio
"The threshold to get started is low. This is an easy way to get going and make sustainability concrete," Lehtinen concludes.
If you would like to see how sustainability data can be turned into comparable numbers and used in financing, get in touch with Selko Insights.