Nareit and its members participate with industry stakeholders on various initiatives and programs that impact the broader commercial real estate community.

Sustainability Engagement

Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) – Nareit partners with CEBA to elevate the key opportunities and challenges for the commercial real estate industry in advancing clean energy technology improvements and procurement solutions.

First Street – Nareit partners with First Street to enhance the understanding and awareness of the impact of physical climate change on REIT assets and portfolios by providing members access to First Street analysis and research. Nareit members have opportunities to test drive new tools and engage with teams of climate experts developing new resources to support risk analysis and resilience investment planning.

Getting to Zero Collaborative – Nareit partners with the Getting to Zero initiative led by New Buildings Institute (NBI) and RMI, which amplifies the work of people and organizations that are accelerating and broadening efforts to decarbonize buildings at scale, helping achieve ambitious climate commitments related to the built environment, and engage the commercial real estate community to overcome the remaining barriers to net zero buildings the norm.

GRESB – Nareit, in partnership with GRESB, supports the REIT industry to standardize reporting and meet investor expectations for sustainability performance. REITs participating in the annual GRESB Real Estate Assessment provide transparency to investors on performance against industry benchmarks. Nareit continues to engage with GRESB to evolve with the industry. 

U.S. Government Agencies–Nareit supports public-private partnerships with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that support the real estate industry’s energy efficiency adoption and operating expense reductions. The ENERGY STAR for Buildings program and Better Buildings Initiative support the REIT industry in measuring and managing energy improvements and sharing best practices for advancing innovation in building energy management. 

U.S. Green Building Council  (USGBC) – Nareit and its members partner with USGBC to advance sustainable practices in the design and operations of buildings. Nareit members can access education, resources, and connect with industry experts.


Social Responsibility Engagement

Nareit and its members collaborate with targeted industry stakeholders on various initiatives and programs that impact the broader commercial real estate community.

Collaborative Real Estate Development & Solutions (CREDS) – CREDS is a forward-thinking initiative committed to advancing innovation, inclusion, and impact across the commercial real estate industry. By fostering cross-sector collaboration, spotlighting scalable solutions, and elevating emerging practices in procurement, technology, and development, CREDS is reshaping how industry leaders think about opportunity, access, and strategic growth. CREDS is based on partnerships with associations, service providers, data innovators, and thought leaders working to drive meaningful progress across the real estate ecosystem.

Dividends Through Diversity Grant Program – The Nareit Foundation creates ways for REITs to engage with programs that expand employment, entrepreneurship, and investment education in commercial real estate. The grant program supports initiatives with national organizations leading workforce development programs, small business capacity-building initiatives, and educational offerings focused on investing. 

Read Nareit’s coverage of the grant program and grantee profiles

These partnerships include:

Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative -The Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative of the Nareit Foundation, supported by REITs that invest in Hawaii, is dedicated to forward thinking programs that are creating affordable housing solutions and improving the quality of life for families statewide. 

Learn more about the Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative