People and communities

As an owner and manager of real estate, we're committed to helping our tenants, communities, and employees live better, healthier lives.

Wellness is good for everyone's business 

Research shows that buildings designed to focus on the health and wellness of their occupants help to improve employee productivity, reduce absenteeism, and decrease healthcare costs. They've also shown to improve cognitive function by 26% and improve sleep scores by 6%.

Wellness in our buildings

When designing buildings, we consider natural lighting, indoor climate control, and access to outdoor spaces. We also provide wellness amenities, such as fitness centres, and we continuously promote healthy behaviours, such as good nutrition, taking the stairs, and active work breaks.

Wellness for our tenants

We're committed to providing our tenants and employees with environments that promote their physical and emotional well-being. Most of our buildings provide easy access to public transit and alternative transportation options. We also focus on the integration of natural lighting, access to outdoor space, on-site programming, and healthy food and beverages for the benefit of all our building occupants.

Working with our tenants for greater impact

We believe in supporting the health and wellness of our people and the places they occupy to provide a better tomorrow. Collaborating with tenants is an integral part of delivering on this belief, and we work hard to ensure that our building occupants feel supported in their day to day.

  • Tenant satisfaction survey: Office COVID-19 response

  • 88%

    of tenants indicated they were satisfied with our response during the pandemic

     

  • 87%

    of tenants rated our cleaning measures and practices as "excellent" or "good"

  • 89%

    of tenants rated our preventative response as "excellent" or "good"

Based on responses received by Manulife Investment Management in a "Tenant Satisfaction Survey", issued December 2020 through January 2021. For the purposes of the survey, information was collected from tenants of industrial, office, and retail buildings in North America. 

Your attention to saving energy and reducing negative footprints on the planet during design, construction, and management is impressive and very much appreciated by all of us."

—Building Tenant, BGC Engineering, 980 Howe

Our employees determine our future success

We strive to be an employer of choice. To attract and retain the best and brightest, we focus on performance management, professional development, wellness, diversity, and inclusion. Providing an outstanding employee experience supports exceptional customer service and adds value for all stakeholders.

  • 100%

    of employees were surveyed for engagement 

  • 100%

    of properties have Green Champion members

  • 230

    real estate employees are trained on sustainability

Our success is largely a result of the knowledge, skills, and passion our employees bring to work every day

We're committed to providing and creating an environment in which our people are engaged and encouraged to learn and develop throughout their career with us. We focus on performance management, professional development, wellness, diversity, and inclusion. Through our sustainability training program, which uses webinars and an online platform, we share our sustainability vision, policy, and commitments with every employee. We also provide training and guidance specific to different business unit functions. Over the past two years, we’ve trained over 230 employees, enhancing their understanding of how and why we embed sustainability in our business.

 

Community engagement

We believe that our success as a company depends on the success of the communities we serve. We want to create measurable impact in these communities by investing in their health and well-being.

  • $21 million CAD

    directly donated to local communities around the world 

  • $3.5 million CAD

    committed over the next two years to promote DEI in the workplace and our communities 

  • 11,000 employees

    are members of Manulife's employee resource groups

Information refers to initiatives undertaken by our parent company, Manulife. Source: Manulife Financial Corporation, 2020 Sustainability Report and Public Accountability Statement.

By working to improve health and well-being, we strengthen our communities and drive positive social change

Our property teams look to partner with charitable organizations and engage in programs that create positive measurable impact. Last year, nearly 70% of our office properties hosted at least one community event. In 2020, in partnership with  Montreal-based company, MicroHabitat, we grew 1,800 pounds of produce which were harvested and donated to local organizations. 

In addition, during the 2020 holiday season, the Real Estate team also donated $50,000 worth of food and prepared meals across North America. Each of the participating regions coordinated with small, local food retailers to purchase prepared meals or groceries. The meals and groceries were then delivered to local community organizations throughout December and January.