Kelly Meissner, director of sustainability at Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR), participated in a video interview at Nareit's 2020 ESG JumpStart Workshop, a one-day program designed to teach Nareit corporate members the core skills needed to launch—or improve—an ESG program of any size.
Meissner talked about key issues related to data management that companies in the early stages of developing an ESG program should consider.
“On the environmental front, data is really the foundation of an environmental management program,” she said. Energy, water, and waste information for an entire portfolio are the key elements of that data.
Meissner also provided tips for companies just getting started on ESG reporting in the areas of energy, water and waste, and carbon emissions.
“The important thing is to engage both internally and externally to help folks understand why it’s important to be reporting on your emissions, your energy, water and waste, and to explain that this is something investors are starting to care about,” Meissner said.