Nareit's ESG Forum 2019 was held Jan. 31-Feb. 1, with two pre-forum workshops held on Jan. 30. The annual event provides an opportunity for real estate executives to discuss challenges and opportunities with ESG in the REIT industry while advancing the sustainability conversation.
This year's forum had record attendance—69 of the 130 attendees were first-timers. Professionals from 70 REITs were in attendance, representing $687 billion in market cap.
Attendees had the opportunity to get the investor perspective on ESG reporting and performance in the REIT industry, hear inspiring case studies and participate in concurrent breakout sessions. Nareit staff also provided updates on ESG initiatives, including the Dividends Through Diversity initiative and the recently launched FTSE EPRA Nareit Green Indexes.
This year was also the first time the event included two pre-forum workshops. The JumpStart Workshop offered attendees step-by-step instructions for getting an ESG program off the ground, providing attendees with the core skills they need to effectively launch—or improve—an ESG program of any size. The Sustainability Leadership Workshop provided attendees with methods to take their existing ESG programs to the next level. Led by experts at Sustainable Brands®, this workshop taught attendees how to take the sustainability credentials of their companies to the next level.
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Nareit's #ESG Forum 2019 kicks off with the JumpStart Workshop. Instructors @agbinkley, Mark Delisi, Shea Jameel and John Forrester discuss how to effectively start a sustainability program and report. #ESGForum2019 pic.twitter.com/ol4JJjH6Yp
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 30, 2019
Iron Mountain's @kevinhagen discussed the five levels of becoming a #sustainable brand at the #ESGForum2019. @IronMountain pic.twitter.com/ikoNJMOh6c
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
Attendees of the #ESGForum2019 come from a variety of backgrounds and specializations. pic.twitter.com/8OSM1IIxfV
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
70 REITs are in attendance at the #ESGForum2019, representing $687 billion in market cap. pic.twitter.com/zhq8nD99wy
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
Nareit's John Worth provides an update on the recently launched FTSE EPRA Nareit Green Indexes at the #ESGForum2019 - https://t.co/BXH2l8MIZx pic.twitter.com/vpPbvsx8Ym
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
"We believe climate change is a material business issue that will impact long term performance and results," says Bradford Stoesser of Wellington Management. #ESGForum2019 pic.twitter.com/TdQ08hWWYb
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
"Climate change is making #ESG a fiduciary responsibility," says Sam Adams, CEO of Vert Asset Management. #ESGForum2019 pic.twitter.com/NYHbCwvuJc
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
"Every time a space turns over there’s an opportunity to upgrade to a ‘greener’ lease and improve sustainability," says Will Teichman of @kimcorealty. #ESGForum2019 pic.twitter.com/vzJTFpIGso
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
"Companies can use measured energy efficiency to create incentives for sustainability and to drive cash flow," says Rob Harmon, Director of the MEETS Accelerator Coalition. #ESGForum pic.twitter.com/7aixe2m71G
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
Bonnie Gottlieb provides updates on Nareit's Dividends Through Diversity Initiative at the #ESGForum2019. Learn more about the initiative here - https://t.co/Dk43zVNdbZ pic.twitter.com/leY9bXFCIc
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) January 31, 2019
Michael Chang of Host Hotels & Resorts explains the anatomy of a supply chain ESG roadmap at the #ESGForum2019. pic.twitter.com/Uo9EtcysQs
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) February 1, 2019
Aaron Binkley of @digitalrealty & Kevin Hagen of @IronMountain discuss green power procurement in scale and how to creatively overcome challenges at the #ESGForum2019. @agbinkley @kevinhagen pic.twitter.com/SQtCFq1zAv
— Nareit (@REITs_Nareit) February 1, 2019