Bahar Yay Celik

INREV caught up recently with Bahar Yay Celik, INREV’s Professional Standards Analyst who joined the Professional Standards team in September last year at a busy but exciting time for the department. 

Bahar joined INREV from GRESB, an ESG benchmark for Real Assets where she worked on ESG assessments for Infrastructure, and previous to that role she undertook a research project on Blended Finance for UN Sustainable Development Goals at FMO – the Dutch Development Bank. With this experience behind her, Bahar brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role at INREV where she is responsible for several topics under the Professional Standards umbrella. Impact investing, ESG, climate risk, debt funds, and improving the online Self-Assessment Tool and Global Definition Database (GDD) are all key priorities under Bahar’s remit, and she talks about each one with a passion for success. 

Bahar brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role at INREV where she is responsible for several topics under the Professional Standards umbrella

‘ESG and Impact investing is not only a Professional Standards topic, but a key priority for INREV in general’, tells Bahar. ‘We have seen the industry really start to take this seriously and consider the practice as a viable means to healthy returns. While there are already industry players who are well experienced with Impact Investing for whom this is nothing new, we also have members who are only just dipping their toes in the water. With this in mind, we as industry body have a responsibility to address the practice and provide all of the necessary information so that our members at whatever stage are as best equipped as possible to embrace it.

We have just published a first batch of definitions in the Global Definitions Database that are related to Impact Investing and a Spectrum of Investment. The Spectrum has been designed to help our members better understand where Impact Investing could be integrated within their current business models. The Spectrum is ideal for our members who are just starting out with Impact Investing (see article)

ESG and Impact investing is not only a Professional Standards topic, but a key priority for INREV in general

INREV has a well-established branch of global partners and together we strive for global alignment of best practice. ‘My role is about adding further value by building on the strong foundations that have already been laid. For example, we’ve just enhanced the functionality of the Global Definitions Database. As it grows bigger, we want our members to be able to enjoy an improved and more dynamic searchability with the addition of search-by-theme and topic. In terms of streamlining, we are looking to integrate the GDD with the new dashboard for easier access and overall improved online experience.

INREV has a well-established branch of global partners and together we strive for global alignment of best practice

INREV aims to bring further clarity and transparency to the different investment structures in the non-listed real estate industry. In the past year, for example over 100 new definitions for Debt Funds have been added to the GDD, and plans to work in Debt Fund specifics to the Guidelines and Standards are being explored.