Lourdes Calderon | Sustainability & ESG Expert in the Real Estate Sector

As an expert in sustainability and ESG leadership, with a strong foundation in finance and global stock indices, I support real estate companies and funds worldwide. I develop actionable strategies that align investor expectations with regulatory requirements, enabling companies to drive meaningful and sustainable long-term value creation.
Since the start of my career, I have been deeply immersed in EU regulations. I began as a consultant at Santander Bank S.A., working on MiFID II and Money Market Statistical Reporting (MMSR). I then joined Kartesia, where I was monitoring two debt portfolios, further strengthening my financial analysis skills. Following this, I moved to EPRA, initially as part of the Indexes & Research team, where we co-managed the FTSE EPRA Nareit Global Real Estate Index, a benchmark with around 500 property companies worldwide. This role required rigorous financial analysis to assess eligibility and provided me with a deep understanding of the sector’s complexities.
Building on this foundation, I transitioned into sustainability, focusing on ESG reporting for listed real estate companies. Through my work with the EPRA Sustainability Best Practices Recommendations (sBPR) Guidelines, I developed expertise in ESG metrics aligned with global standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which now serve as a bridge to the sector-agnostic European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). As a result, I have a strong grasp of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and key EU regulations, including the EU Taxonomy, EPBD, and SFDR.

Services that I provide (punctual or permanent):
1. Strategic sustainability guidance: Provide tailored advice to integrate sustainability into business strategies by helping companies/funds define their vision and key focus areas while aligning ESG priorities with investor expectations and regulatory requirements.
- Analyse current company structure, business model, operations, and goals.
- Offer insights into the global and European sustainability landscape, including peer and investor trends.

2. Regulatory compliance: Guide companies through complex regulatory frameworks to ensure compliance while leveraging sustainability to attract investors.
- Identify relevant regulations and their impact on operations.
- Develop practical roadmaps for compliance.
- Connect with service/tools providers for effective execution.
- Communicate regulatory updates relevant to the company.
- Support in the implementation of the roadmap.
- Areas of expertise: CSRD/ESRS, EU Taxonomy, EPBD, SFDR.

3. Best practices: Help companies go beyond compliance by identifying and implementing impactful, investor-oriented market best practices.
- Identify the most suitable practices for each company.
- Develop action plans to integrate ESG metrics into reporting.
- Connect with tools/providers for seamless implementation.
- Areas of expertise: internal carbon pricing, green governance.

4. Specific guidance on CSRD/ESRS: Provide targeted support for CSRD/ESRS implementation and reporting:
- Assist companies/funds in developing and executing strategies/plans to comply with CSRD requirements.
- Provide guidance on designing and updating materiality assessment processes.
- Support the reporting of sector-agnostic ESRS.
- Communicate regulatory updates (E.g., sector-specific ESRS for real estate, once released).

6. Connecting global Real Estate with European standards and stakeholders: Help companies/funds outside Europe leverage the benefits of aligning with European sustainability standards and gaining visibility in the European market:
- Guide companies in understanding and applying European frameworks such as the CSRD/ESRS, EU Taxonomy, EPBD, SFDR even if not obligatory in their region.
- Emphasize the strategic advantages of adopting these standards, including improved comparability with European peers, increased investor trust, and alignment with global best practices.
- Facilitate meaningful connections with European stakeholders, including investors, asset managers, and regulators, to enhance visibility and foster collaborations.
- Provide tailored strategies to position companies on the radar of European investors through reporting, events, and partnerships.

7. Training & capacity building: Equip teams with the skills and knowledge needed to lead sustainability initiatives:
- Conduct sessions on ESG trends, compliance, and best practices.
- Train executives to communicate sustainability goals effectively.
- Provide tools to integrate sustainability across all organizational levels.

8. Investor outreach: Help companies enhance their visibility and build relationships within the investment landscape:
- Recommend events and forums for networking with investors and stakeholders.
- Identify investors aligned with the company’s ESG goals.
- Facilitate connections with key stakeholders, such as asset managers, consultants, and industry leaders.

9. Policy engagement: Support companies in engaging with regulatory developments and consultations:
- Provide feedback on consultations from regulatory bodies and industry associations.
- Offer guidance on policy trends and implications for the sector.
- Facilitate introductions to regulatory bodies or organizations when needed. (Note: Offered as supplementary support).

10. Research & market insights: Deliver tailored research on sustainability trends (regulatory developments, market dynamics, investor behaviour and expectations).... Show more

Lourdes Calderon
Silver

Services offered

Expert Type

Qualifications

Certifications

Categories

Industries

Regional Expertise

Professional Experience

ESG/Sustainability Manager

European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA)Real EstateFull-Time2023 - 2025

Indexes & Research Senior Analyst

European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA)Real EstateFull-Time2019 - 2023

Portfolio Monitoring Analyst

KartesiaFinancial sectorFull-Time2018 - 2019

Consultant (regulatory)

Banco Santander SAFinancial sectorFull-Time2015 - 2018

Lourdes CalderonSilver