What is ESG — or environmental, social and governance? It is basically a framework to assess how a commercial real estate portfolio manages risks and opportunities resulting from shifting conditions, market and otherwise, to environmental, social and economic systems. Environmental criteria address a company’s impact on and stewardship of the environment. Social criteria refer to how a company manages relationships with and creates value for stakeholders, such as customers, employees, suppliers, communities and shareholders. Governance criteria refer to a company’s leadership and management philosophy, practices, policies, internal controls and shareholder rights, including diversity, equity and inclusion and transparency of procedures and decision-making.
Jumping in
Call me provincial, but I’m always fascinated these days when I hear that an established investor, developer or retailer that operates nationally is only now finding its way into the New Jersey market. With our labor pool, our consumer base and the all-important draw of being a discount from New York City, one can’t help but wonder what took them so long in the first place — especially in an expansion that goes back more than a decade.
