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Dan Egan, vice president for sustainability and utilities at Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO), joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum in Seattle.

In 2017, Vornado won Nareit’s Leader in the Light Award in the diversified category. This marks the eighth successive year that Vornado has been recognized by Leader in the Light.

Egan addressed how changes in regulations or incentive programs have impacted Vornado’s approach to sustainability.

Cliff Majersik, executive director of the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum in Seattle.

IMT is a national nonprofit organization focused on increasing energy efficiency in buildings.

Majersik discussed some of the benefits of green leases. He stressed that they are a “great way for landlords and tenants to work together.” Everybody comes out ahead when the building is more energy-efficient and costs are being shared equitably, he added.

Sara Neff, senior vice president of sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corp. (NYSE: KRC), joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum in Seattle.

Kilroy has been recognized four times for its sustainability initiatives by Nareit’s Leader in the Light Award. Neff stressed that the key to maintaining effective sustainability programs is to undertake a “whole cultural change” at a company.

Mario Lopez-Alcala, vice president and senior analyst at MSCI Inc., joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum in Seattle.

MSCI is a financial services company that provides research-based indexes and analytics to investors. MSCI ESG Research covers about 6,500 companies across the world, including approximately 550 property companies.

Second-year Real Estate MBA students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are gaining unique hands-on experience in active portfolio management as they manage a $2 million fund invested solely in REITs. The REIT fund is part of the University of Wisconsin Endowment first established in the late 1990s by three prominent alumni.

The students are enrolled in a special track of the university’s real estate MBA program known as the Applied Real Estate Investment Track (AREIT). It is described by the school as the first program of its kind in the country.

Kevin Hagen, director of corporate responsibility at Iron Mountain Inc. (NYSE: IRM), joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum.

Hagen discussed the importance of collaboration on sustainability matters, both internally within the company and externally with tenants, vendors and outside organizations.

Aaron Binkley, director of sustainability at Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: DLR), joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum in Seattle.

Binkley discussed the data center REIT’s goal to power its entire global portfolio with renewable energy. He noted while Digital Realty is making “good progress,” the goal is a moving target due to the company’s continued growth.

John Forester, director of energy and sustainability at real estate management company The RMR Group Inc., joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum in Seattle.

Forester discussed RMR’s continued efforts to keep employees engaged with the company’s sustainability initiatives. He pointed to increased EnergyStar boot camp participation and the company’s national volunteer day as examples of continued employee engagement.

Ben Myers, sustainability manager at Boston Properties, Inc. (NYSE: BXP), joined Nareit for a video interview at Nareit’s 2018 ESG Forum in Seattle.

Myers discussed ESG reporting and noted that, in general, the industry is moving toward standardization. However, “there still remains a lot of variability on the social and governance aspects of sustainability,” he noted.