Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Releases 2021 ESG Report Highlighting Its Leadership and Innovative Approach to Climate Resilience, Design and Operations of High-Performance Laboratory Buildings and Corporate Social Responsibility
"As a mission-driven company dedicated to making a positive and lasting impact on the world, ESG is core to our DNA. We believe that doing well in our business and doing good for society are inherently linked, and this belief has shaped our multifaceted business model and ESG platform," said
The company's report details its efforts to advance impactful ESG areas, including by driving high-performance building design and operations to reduce carbon emissions, mitigating climate-related risk in its real estate portfolio and investing in and providing essential infrastructure for sustainable agrifoodtech companies. The report also showcases Alexandria's leadership in catalyzing the health, wellness, safety and productivity of its employees, tenants, local communities and the world through the built environment and beyond, including through its visionary social responsibility initiatives and its commitment to upholding the highest levels of transparency, integrity and accountability. Notable efforts and accomplishments presented in the report include:
- Being recognized as the Global Sector Leader and achieving the highest 5 Star rating in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Diversified Listed sector and earning the #2 ranking in the
U.S. Science & Technology sector, as well as maintaining its "A" disclosure score;
- Ranking as the #5 most sustainable REIT in Barron's "10 Real Estate Companies That Are Both Greener and More Profitable";
- Furthering the development of its approach to physical and transition climate-related risk by initiating a process to assess and understand potential physical risk and pathways to mitigate and adapt to climate change, as well as preparing for the transition to a low-carbon economy and continuing to develop science-based targets;
- Implementing innovative solutions to minimize fossil fuel use in its state-of-the-art laboratory development projects, such as at
325 Binney Street , which will harness geothermal energy to target a LEED Zero Energy certification and a 92% reduction in fossil fuel use as a key component of its design to be the most sustainable laboratory building inCambridge ; at751 Gateway Boulevard , which is pursuing electrification and is tracking to be the first all-electric laboratory building inSouth San Francisco ; and at the Alexandria Center® for Life Science –South Lake Union mega campus inSeattle , where the company is incorporating an innovative wastewater heat recovery system;
- Increasing its investment in renewable electricity to mitigate carbon emissions in its existing asset base, including through a large-scale solar power purchase agreement that will supply renewable electricity to its
Greater Boston region starting in 2024;
- Committing over
$100 million through its strategic venture platform, Alexandria Venture Investments, to innovative companies developing groundbreaking technologies to mitigate the effects of climate change;
- Donating mission-critical funds to over 290 non-profit organizations, as well as volunteering over 1,500 hours through Operation CARE, the company's employee social impact program;
- Receiving an honorable mention in
Fast Company 's prestigious 2021 Innovation by Design Awards in its new Impact category, which recognizes designs that have a major cultural or social impact, for its OneFifteen campus;
- Achieving a Fitwel Viral Response Certification with Distinction, the highest designation within the Viral Response Module, for the second consecutive year;
- Partnering with the
Center for Active Design (CfAD), the operator of Fitwel, to develop a unique life science scorecard and earning the first Fitwel Life Science certification for300 Technology Square in theCambridge submarket ofGreater Boston ; and
- Earning the 2021 Nareit Gold Investor CARE (Communications and Reporting Excellence) Award in the Large Cap Equity REIT category, its fourth consecutive and sixth overall Gold Award for superior shareholder communications and reporting excellence — the most Nareit Investor CARE Gold Awards earned by any equity REIT.
Alexandria's 2021 ESG Report has obtained third-party limited assurance from
About
Forward-Looking Statements
The Environmental, Social & Governance Report is intended to highlight our efforts in environmental sustainability, social responsibility and corporate governance (ESG). Socially responsible investing is qualitative and subjective by nature, and there is no guarantee that the criteria utilized, or judgment exercised, by Alexandria will reflect the beliefs or values of any one particular investor. Certain information regarding ESG practices is obtained from published sources or third parties, which may not be accurate or complete, and Alexandria is dependent on such information to evaluate and implement ESG practices. The standards of measurement and performance for ESG issues are developing or are based on assumptions, and norms may vary by region. There is no assurance that Alexandria will successfully implement any of the ESG policies, strategies or procedures outlined in the ESG Report or that, if implemented, such policies, strategies and procedures will have any particular ESG-related effect. Past performance should not be viewed as a guide to future performance. Alexandria makes no representation or warranty regarding the information set forth in the ESG Report.
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding Alexandria's initiatives, programs, policies, practices, investments, assessments, progress, timing and performance in connection with our ESG goals; the reduction of carbon emissions and use of energy and other resources; the mitigation of climate risk; the reduction of environmental impacts; LEED and healthy building certifications and efficiencies; the amount of committed funds and allocation or use of proceeds for sustainable or ESG purposes; impacts of initiatives to promote health, wellness, safety and productivity of our workforce, our tenants' workforce and beyond; expected operations and performance and the success of our tenants' efforts in connection with pursuing novel medicines. These forward-looking statements are based on the company's present intent, beliefs or expectations, but forward-looking statements are not guaranteed to occur and may not occur. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by the company's forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties detailed in its filings with the
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