Thursday June 16, 2022
Media Release:
Major Australian natural capital investment company Kilter Rural has completed its second ESG report for its A$68m Australian Farmlands Fund, measuring the condition of environmental assets under its stewardship utilising the globally leading Accounting for Nature Framework® for developing environmental accounts.
In 2016/17 Kilter Rural was the first corporate farmland investment manager in Australia to trial the development of environmental accounts using the Accounting for Nature Framework®. Kilter has continued to build its natural capital management credentials with the more recent generation of new methodologies to benchmark and measure the condition of native vegetation, soil and fauna assets against targets for improvement.
Commenting on the initiative, Kilter Rural CEO Cullen Gunn said today that the successful completion of the report provided enhanced disclosure that was increasingly in demand from investors.
“The annual environmental accounts allow the Fund to report very explicitly to our investors on the trend in the condition of their natural assets, in addition to the usual financial reports.
“These accounts measure natural asset condition to a granular level that informs farm operational decision making; and where we can report improvement in condition, permits access to new revenue streams in burgeoning eco service markets.”
Over the past 18 months, on behalf of the Fund, Kilter has developed and submitted, for independent scientific review and approval, a bespoke set of methodologies for assessing and reporting on the trend in environmental asset condition under the Accounting for Nature Framework®. This has been a significant undertaking involving deep engagement of the Kilter Rural sustainability team, numerous technical experts, and submission and review by the independent Accounting for Nature Science Accreditation Committee.
Kilter Rural was established in 2004 to deliver profit with impact: investing at scale in the regeneration of farmland, water and environmental assets. Kilter Rural’s Australian Farmlands Fund utilises emerging technology to achieve carbon sequestration at scale in the production of sustainable food. The Fund also implements the TCFD to assess and respond to climate change related risks and opportunities.
Kilter Rural has A$340m in funds under management and in 2019 was awarded Australian Impact Asset Manager of the Year.
The Kilter Australian Farmlands Fund continues to meet its regeneration target aiming for 20-30% reforestation of its assets. The Farmlands Fund is moving out of the development phase to full operations with an 8x increase in cropping area for 2022.
For further information please call: Phil Davey +61 414 867 188.
Request a copy of the report:
The report will be sent to the email address provided. If you do not receive it please check your junk email or contact invest@kilterrural.com