Assurance report of the independent auditor
To: the shareholders of Bouwinvest Dutch Institutional Office Fund N.V.
Our conclusion
We have reviewed the sustainability information in the 2022 annual report of Bouwinvest Dutch Institutional Office Fund N.V., based in Amsterdam. A review is aimed at obtaining a limited level of assurance.
Based on the procedures performed and the evidence obtained, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the sustainability information of Bouwinvest Dutch Institutional Office Fund N.V. does not present, in all material respects, a reliable and adequate view of:
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the policy and business operations with regard to corporate social responsibility, as included in the ‘Performance on sustainability’ chapter of the 2022 annual report; and
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the thereto related events and achievements for the year 2022 as included in the section ‘Performance on sustainability’ as disclosed in the 2022 annual report, in accordance with the reporting criteria as included in the section ‘Reporting of performance indicators’.
The sustainability information consists of performance information in the section ‘Performance on sustainability’ part of chapter ‘Performance on strategy’ on page 24-31 of the 2022 Annual Report excluding the section EU Taxonomy on page 30-31.
Basis for our conclusion
We have conducted our review in accordance with Dutch law, including Dutch Standard 3000A ‘Assurance engagements other than audits or reviews of historical financial information (attestation engagements)’. This engagement is aimed to obtain limited assurance. Our responsibilities in this regard are further described in the ‘Our responsibilities for the review of the sustainability information’ section of our report.
We are independent of Bouwinvest Dutch Institutional Office Fund N.V. in accordance with the ‘Verordening inzake de onafhankelijkheid van accountants bij assurance-opdrachten’ (ViO, Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, a regulation with respect to independence). Furthermore we have complied with the ‘Verordening gedrags- en beroepsregels accountants’ (VGBA, Dutch Code of Ethics).
We believe that the evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our conclusion.
Reporting criteria
The reporting criteria used for the preparation of the sustainability information are the reporting criteria as included in the section ‘reporting of performance indicators’ within the 2022 Annual Report.
The sustainability information needs to be read and understood together with the reporting criteria. Bouwinvest Dutch Institutional Office Fund N.V. is solely responsible for selecting and applying these reporting criteria, taking into account applicable law and regulations related to reporting.
The absence of an established practice on which to draw, to evaluate and measure non-financial information allows for different, but acceptable, measurement techniques and can affect comparability between entities and over time.
Consequently, the sustainability information needs to be read and understood together with the reporting criteria used.
Materiality
Based on our professional judgement we determined materiality levels for each relevant part of the sustainability information and for the sustainability information as a whole. When evaluating our materiality levels, we have taken into account quantitative and qualitative considerations as well as the relevance of information for both stakeholders and Bouwinvest Dutch Institutional Office Fund N.V.
Limitations to the scope of our review
The sustainability information includes prospective information such as ambitions, strategy, plans, expectations and estimates. Inherent to prospective information, the actual future results are uncertain. We do not provide any assurance on the assumptions and achievability of prospective information in the sustainability information.
The references to external sources or websites in the sustainability information are not part of the sustainability information as reviewed by us. We therefore do not provide assurance on this information. Our conclusion is not modified in respect to these matters.
Responsibilities of the Management Board for the sustainability information
The Management Board is responsible for the preparation of the sustainability information in accordance with the applicable criteria. The Management Board is also responsible for selecting and applying the reporting criteria and for determining that these reporting criteria are suitable for the legitimate information needs of stakeholders, taking into account applicable law and regulations related to reporting. The choices made by the Management Board regarding the scope of the sustainability information and the reporting policy are summarized in the chapter ‘Performance on sustainability’ of the 2022 annual report.
Furthermore, the Management Board is also responsible for such internal control as the it determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the sustainability information that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
Our responsibilities for the review of the sustainability information
Our responsibility is to plan and perform our review in a manner that allows us to obtain sufficient and appropriate evidence to provide a basis for our conclusion.
The procedures performed in this context differ in nature and timing and are less extent as compared to reasonable assurance engagements. The level of assurance obtained in a limited assurance engagement is therefore substantially lower than the assurance that would have been obtained had a reasonable assurance engagement been performed.
We apply the ‘Nadere voorschriften kwaliteitssystemen’ (NVKS, Regulations for quality management systems) and accordingly maintain a comprehensive system of quality control including documented policies and procedures regarding compliance with ethical requirements, professional standards and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
We have exercised professional judgement and have maintained professional scepticism throughout the review, in accordance with the Dutch Standard 3000A, ethical requirements and independence requirements.
Our review included among others:
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Performing an analysis and obtaining insight into relevant environmental and social themes, issues and the characteristics of Bouwinvest Dutch Institutional Office Fund N.V.;
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Evaluating the appropriateness of the reporting policy and its consistent application, including the evaluation of the results of the stakeholders’ dialogue and the reasonableness of management’s estimates;
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Evaluating the design of the reporting systems and processes related to the sustainability information;
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Reviewing internal and external documentation to determine whether the information as included in the KPIs, including the presentation and assertions made in the sustainability information, is adequately supported;
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Interviewing relevant staff responsible for providing the sustainability information, carrying out internal control procedures on the data and consolidating the data in the annual report;
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An analytical review of the data and trends submitted for consolidation at corporate level.
We communicate with the Management Board regarding, among other matters, the planned scope, timing and outcome of the review and significant findings that we identified during our review.
Amsterdam, March 27, 2023
Deloitte Accountants B.V.
Signed on the original: V.S. Borreman