Sustainability Priorities
Creating sustainable impacts, bringing positive change.
What sustainability means to us
As a leading real estate advisor, we are focused on:
- Evolving our sustainability platform to meet the demand for smarter, climate-resilient, more sustainable and healthier buildings for our tenants and residents
- Actively engaging our suppliers to encourage the use of sustainable products and services in the operation and development of our assets under management
- Reducing the energy and carbon footprint of our clients’ portfolios to support the transition towards a low-carbon economy
Performance Highlights
19.6%
decrease in GHG emissions intensity (2013–2019)
9.5%
decrease in energy use intensity (2013–2019)
14.2%
decrease in water use intensity (2013–2019)
92%
green building certification coverage (by floor area for eligible buildings, as at
$233k
in training funding awarded
$226k
in charitable contributions (2019 CY)
Strategic Sustainability Priorities
Our collective focus on four priorities related to our environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance positions us to deliver strong, long-term returns for our clients and contribute to local and global goals for a better and more sustainable future.
Materiality Assessment
Each year, we ask individuals from key functions within our organization to help us define high-priority sustainability issues that could have a significant impact on our business and are of greatest interest to our stakeholders.
Insights are derived from ongoing stakeholder engagement as well as reviews of peer sustainability reports, our own business performance and general and sector-specific sustainability standards. GWLRA’s 2019 Annual Review references the GRI Standards (2016) and the GRI-G4 Construction and Real Estate Sector Supplement (CRESS).
Priority topics inform our strategic business objectives and are discussed in our public performance reporting.
Materiality Matrix
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Green Buildings
- Ethics and Integrity
- Compliance and Risk Management
- Responsible Investments
- Tenant Satisfaction
- Community Development
- Environmental Management
- Corporate Governance
- Safety and Security
- Talent Diversity and Development
Case Studies
Sustainable Development Goals
Aligning our business with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is an important part of our commitment to being a responsible, values-based business that creates positive impacts in society. Three SDGs were identified during our most recent materiality assessment as areas where we can make the greatest contribution:
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
We continue to develop our clients’ buildings in a way that supports safe, inclusive and sustainable communities, while respecting their cultural and natural heritage.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
We play an important role in encouraging the use of sustainable materials through our procurement processes with third parties.
SDG 13: Climate Action
We are reducing the carbon impact of our clients’ properties and working to ensure their assets are resilient and adaptive to climate-related risks and natural hazards.