BEOSphere: a mosaic
of community, vision and time.
What would you call the dynamism, the mood, the resonance, that has grown over the years and can now be seen throughout our entire company?
It took time to come up with a name, but now we have one: BEOSphere, which is the guiding theme for the 2023 BEOS REPORT. Here we had to ask ourselves, can the real meaning of the BEOSphere be communicated in a tangible way? The answer was “yes, to an extent”. But when you look at it more closely, it’s a multidimensional issue. Transferring the BEOS REPORT into a digital ecosystem, accompanied by an abridged print version, was therefore the logical next step. The result is a contemporary, hybrid format in which both parts are conceptually linked.
However, the BEOSphere is not only the linchpin of this report – it lives, welcomes change and inspires people to break new ground.
Even if it is intangible, it shapes what we do and how we communicate. Communicating information in a digital form is not only timely, but also sustainable. This cross-media publication invites you to explore our corporate real estate and districts. Containing many different aspects, it is natural way to highlight our guiding idea.
It is no coincidence that our districts form the heart of this BEOS REPORT. They are great examples of the power we draw from the BEOSphere. The transformation of former industrial sites into lively urban districts – a process that the “Carlswerk” and “Zeughof” have already undergone – is being now followed by the “BERLIN DECKS” and in “FRANKFURT WESTSIDE”. We have always considered the foundations of our work: in 2020 with a focus on responsibility, in 2021 concentrating on community, and last year focussing on reduction. This solid foundation also helps us to address the many crises we are facing in a creative and pragmatic way.
These considerations gradually led us to what we now call the BEOSphere. The 100 or so staff from BEOS who collected the ESG performance data of almost 80% of our property stock in 2023 gave it their all. Thanks to their hard work, we made significant progress with our biggest projects, while construction was grinding to a halt elsewhere. In bringing together a wide range of ideas and talents, we have been able to innovate: for example with the first solid timber construction in the “Rheinhöfen” in Düsseldorf.
With the BEOSphere, we have found a name for the atmosphere that makes our BEOS FORUM so special as a place to meet people, exchange ideas and inspire each other.
The spirit of community brings together everyone there – around 130 investors, bank representatives, business partners and colleagues – into a collective “we”, something that was particularly noticeable at FORUM 2023 after more than five years of coronavirus-related interruption. This sense of togetherness became all the more evident when Holger Matheis was in attendance for the last time in his role as Spokesperson for the Executive Board. As the CEO of Swiss Life Asset Managers Germany, he will of course remain part of the BEOSphere.
Let us now look to the future – to a year that will not only give us the opportunity to drive forward the projects we have already started, but also to seize new opportunities. It is therefore fitting that we reinforced our Executive Board team at the start of 2024. We are already looking forward to fresh inspiration from Matthias Schmidt, whom we would like to warmly welcome. Together with Jan Plückhahn, Christina Schädler and Hendrik Staiger, he will pave the way for BEOS to enjoy a successful and innovative future.
We hope you enjoy reading the report and immerse yourself in the diversity of the BEOSphere. You’re already a part of it.