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.
Case study: Manulife Place Dojima receives "S" rank from Japan's CASBEE assessment
Located in the heart of Osaka’s central business district, Manulife Place Dojima is a strong sustainability performer—so much so that it achieved “S” rank, the top level in Japan’s CASBEE assessment.
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Tenant satisfaction survey: Office COVID-19 response
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88%
of tenants indicated they were satisfied with our response during the pandemic
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87%
of tenants rated our cleaning measures and practices as "excellent" or "good"
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89%
of tenants rated our preventative response as "excellent" or "good"
Disclosure
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."
Case study: creating a buzz around our buildings
In 2019, our Calgary team installed 11 beehives on the roofs of five buildings. To foster tenant engagement around the office, the team invited all tenants to “Name the Queen Bee.”
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100%
of employees were surveyed for engagement
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100%
of properties have Green Champion members
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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.
Case study: a Canadian portfolio milestone
In 2020, we reached an important milestone: 100% of our Canadian managed funds now boast a green building certification. That’s over 19 million square feet that meet a minimum threshold for sustainability.
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$21 million CAD
directly donated to local communities around the world
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$3.5 million CAD
committed over the next two years to promote DEI in the workplace and our communities
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11,000 employees
are members of Manulife's employee resource groups
Disclosure:
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.
Case study: creating community
To say it was challenging for all of us to stay connected in 2020 is an understatement. But that only seems to have inspired our Montreal office portfolio team to devise even more innovative ways to engage their tenants and the local community.