- Pensionskasse Basel-Stadt, the pension fund for Canton of Basel-Stadt employees, is creating new housing and additional green and open spaces as part of two development projects in Birsfelden and Egg.

Through the ‘Quartierhof’ development project in Birsfelden and the ‘Wohnen im Park’ project in Egg, the Basel-Stadt Pension Fund is creating a total of 86 flats. At the same time, the outdoor areas will be ecologically enhanced and additional green spaces created. Construction is expected to begin in autumn 2027, with completion scheduled for 2029. The existing property in Birsfelden currently comprises 24 flats, a commercial space and car parks and needs renovation. In its place, 47 flats will be built, as well as an underground parking garage, biodiverse green space and a playground for the whole neighbourhood. Meanwhile, in Egg, 39 flats will be built to replace the current 14 flats that also need renovation. The approximately 20 tenants directly affected by the current properties were informed more than a year in advance and are being given individual support in finding new accommodation.

- Danish pension companies Sampension and P+ have received top marks in a new rating from the research company Nikolaj Holdt Mikkelsen, which is designed to make it easier to compare pension providers.

The methodology behind the new rating is based on historical returns and a forward-looking perspective. However, it is not absolute; instead, products are assessed based on how well they perform relative to other companies’ products. The rating includes four key performance indicators: expected return, costs (annual percentage rate), historical performance measured against a product-specific benchmark, and risk. The key figures are then translated into an overall assessment of the pension product on a scale from one to five. Sampension and P+ both received five marks out of five.

- Industriens Pension, the Danish labour market pension scheme, has entered into a purchase agreement with Birch Ejendomme for building rights for a large district project in west Copenhagen.

The plot of land has been acquired for the upcoming stages of the urban development project Landskabsbyen in Egedal, west of Copenhagen. Industriens Pension was behind the first stage of the project, but Birch Ejendomme will continue the development of the new district. Industriens Pension, together with 2L Project Development and Egedal Municipality, developed the plan for the new urban area, and construction of the first stage is underway. The first stage consists of 171 homes, a daycare centre and a shared activity house surrounded by open spaces and recreational nature areas. The pension company will remain in the area as the owner of the rental homes from the first stage of the project. The project has provided the pension scheme with a satisfactory return, and there has been great interest in taking over the building rights for the coming stages. The company has chosen to divest the building rights as part of an adjustment of the property investment strategy, where project development will take up less space in the future than before.

- Finnish earnings-related pension provider Elo achieved platinum status in the EcoVadis sustainability assessment and ranked within the top one per cent of assessed companies with a score of 87 out of 100.

The provider explained that international assessments make sustainability work comparable. EcoVadis assesses companies' sustainability in four areas: environmental, labour and human rights, ethical practices and sustainable procurement. Elo's results improved in all areas, such as specifying targets, monitoring them and systematically developing the competence of its personnel. The provider’s greatest development in the assessment was seen in sustainable procurement, where the company improved its result by 16 points and achieved 81 points out of 100. Overall, Elo’s score increased by 10 points from last year and by 20 points from the 2023 level.

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