These requirements apply without restriction to the construction and real estate sectors, as elsewhere. ATHOS and CA Immo are two of only a handful of enterprises in Austria that have addressed this issue to date.

Early adopters in Austria
The pioneer was ATHOS Immobilien AG of Linz, which received its corporate responsibility rating from oekom research, a rating agency based in Munich, back in 2009. The listed company thus became the primus inter pares in Austria and is wholly committed to sustainability. As a logical consequence of its status, ATHOS was one of the co-founders of ÖGNI, the Austrian Society for Sustainability in the Real Estate Industry.
This non-profit NGO continues to define the sustainability agenda. It has been pursuing sustainability goals by applying the three P's principle since it was established three years ago. Fundamental issues have been resolved in working parties, and codes of practice and recommendations concerning ethical conduct have been issued in collaboration with the German Corporate Governance Initiative (ICG).

Uniform systemisation
This comprehensive, systematised approach enables companies in the construction and real estate sectors to establish their own ethical parameters. It is founded on values, simply referred to as the "10 commandments". These directives constitute binding commitments for all ÖGNI members. "Only if values are binding will they be translated into action," explains Erich Thewanger (KPMG), who is at the forefront of the sustainability initiative in Austria. A value management system has evolved on the basis of these defined values. ÖGNI President Philipp Kaufmann remarks, "We act not as do-gooders, but by putting good management into practice."

CA Immo in the vanguard of compliance management
CA Immo AG is the first company to be certified by ÖGNI. Outlining the company's commitment to the underlying principles, CA Immo board member Wolfhard Fromwald says, "Transparency and sustainability have been core values of the company for many years and are demanded by our investors." ÖGNI has followed up the first audit of the Group's compliance with the standards, performed by KPMG in 2011, by awarding its own certification. Further companies in the construction and real estate segment are sure to follow the example set by CA Immo AG and ATHOS Immobilien AG.