The state-owned housing company Gewobag has comprehensively revised its Social Finance Framework in order to align its commitment to social housing more precisely and effectively with current societal developments. “With this update, we are responding to the growing social challenges in the city as well as to new regulatory and strategic requirements, for example in the context of ESG criteria and internationally recognized sustainability goals,” says Markus Terboven, Member of the Management Board of Gewobag. “Our responsibility does not end with the provision of affordable housing. We want to help ensure that people feel at home in our neighborhoods and that they are able to develop prospects for their future.”
Berlin’s urban society is undergoing significant change: rising rents and living costs, increasing social inequalities, demographic shifts, and new demands on coexistence in urban spaces call for sustainable concepts that strengthen social cohesion and create long-term prospects for residents. In this context, Gewobag sees itself as an active co-creator of these developments.
The Social Finance Framework, which is aligned with the Social Bond Principles of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and the Social Loan Principles of the Loan Market Association (LMA), serves as the basis for issuing various social financing instruments such as bonds, loans, and promissory note loans. It thus provides a binding framework for mobilizing capital specifically for projects that create affordable housing for the people of Berlin and deliver clear social benefits. Since the framework was introduced in May 2021, it has already served as the basis for an inaugural social bond.
ING Germany advised on the revision of the Social Finance Framework, acting as ESG Sustainability Advisor and ESG Structuring Coordinator. “Gewobag’s update of its Social Finance Framework sends a strong signal for social housing. We see this as a significant step toward making social investments more transparent, more effective, and more future-proof,” says Eddy Henning, Member of the Management Board of ING Germany.
The independent assessment and confirmation of the framework by ISS Corporate Solutions underscores its transparency and effectiveness and provides investors with the assurance that their funds are being used responsibly.
For more information about the updated Social Finance Framework and our current projects, please visit our website at https://www.gewobag.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-04-Gewobag-Social-Finance-Framework.pdf
About Gewobag
With approximately 76,000 apartments and more than 150,000 tenants, Gewobag’s portfolio has the scale of a major city—and it continues to grow. For more information about Gewobag, visit: www.gewobag.de