Transparent governance remains at the heart of the REIT model, as publicly traded REITs continue to responsibility advance environmental and social initiatives, according to the sixth edition of Nareit’s REIT Industry Sustainability Report.

“REITs know their properties must be able to simultaneously meet the needs of today while being prepared for tomorrow,” says Jessica Long, Nareit’s senior vice president of environmental stewardship and sustainability. “That’s why they are actively mitigating financial risks by improving the resilience of their buildings, prioritizing people and connecting with communities — all of which REITs detail through transparent public reporting.”

Three key themes emerge from the report. First, the REIT model continues to provide inherent governance benefits, including the alignment of management and shareholder financial incentives and independent oversight of sustainability and social objectives. For example, of th