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Our goal is to deliver prosperity for all our stakeholders – including our investors, colleagues, retail partners and the communities we serve.

This, of course, should never come at the cost of conducting ourselves in a manner that isn’t environmentally and socially responsible, accountable and ethical in every aspect of our business. We wouldn’t have it any other way, because it’s been how we’ve done it since day one.

 

 

 

 

Environmentally and socially responsible,
accountable and ethical.

Environmental Responsibility

  • Energy Efficiency Initiatives: We’ve reduced energy intensity by 14% in Plaza-operated spaces and completed 23 additional LED retrofits in 2023, saving an estimated 500,000 kWh of electricity.
  • Green Developments: We prioritize environmental impact assessments during property acquisition, development and redevelopment, including the remediation of 10 brownfield sites since 2001.
  • Collaboration with Tenants: We’ve started engaging with our largest tenants (representing over 40% of gross leasable area in 2023) to collaborate on energy efficiency, waste management and sustainability initiatives, in an effort to help reduce their environmental impact.
  • Innovative Projects: A green roof was installed at a Montreal redevelopment, increasing the green space/land ratio to 48%, exceeding city requirements and reducing energy and storm runoff.
  • Water Conservation: In 2023, we reduced water intensity by 16.2% in Plaza-operated areas by investigating and resolving equipment inefficiencies, contributing to lower water consumption.
  • GHG Emission Reduction: We reduced total greenhouse gas emissions by 8.6% in 2023, with further plans for LED retrofits and energy-efficient HVAC installations to reduce emissions and energy use.
  • Future Sustainability Goals: We have plans to continue energy and water consumption tracking, install EV chargers at multiple locations, and explore renewable energy options to further minimize environmental impact.

Social Responsibility and Community Investment

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): We conducted our first DEI survey in late 2023, with 93% of respondents agreeing that Plaza values diversity and inclusion. Also, the Women@Plaza initiative continues to empower women through mentorship programs, events, and recognition awards.
  • Health, Safety, and Well-Being: We support employee well- being through comprehensive health benefits, including mental health resources, flexible hybrid work options, and policies for workplace safety and harassment prevention.
  • Tenant Engagement: We work closely with tenants, supporting their ESG goals by engaging in initiatives such as energy management, waste reduction and collaboration on sustainability projects.
  • Community Involvement: We actively participate in charitable activities and support local charities, including Habitat for Humanity Build Days and the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser, showing a strong commitment to local communities through donations and volunteer work.
  • Employee Engagement: We promote a positive work culture which includes regular communication through CEO updates, town halls, and the Plaza Express newsletter, which keeps employees engaged by highlighting company achievements and employee involvement in ESG initiatives.

Governance and Ethical Business Conduct

  • Board Diversity and Governance: Plaza’s Board of Trustees is composed of 43% women, exceeding their 30% gender diversity goal. The Governance & Compensation Committee oversees our governance practices, upholds our high governance standards and embraces an environment of continuous improvement and evaluation. We regularly review our governance policies and procedures and update them as necessary to ensure transparency, accountability, compliance, and best practices.
  • Ethical Standards: We enforce a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all Trustees, officers, and employees. The code promotes integrity, accountability, and a discrimination-free workplace, with annual acknowledgment required from all employees and Board members.
  • Board Independence: Over 70% of the members of the Board are independent, including the Chair of the Board. The Chair facilitates in-camera meetings among independent Trustees at each Board meeting, without any members of management present. Board members are also asked at the beginning of each meeting whether they have any actual, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest to declare.
  • Transparency and Accountability: Our Responsibility & Sustainability Committee, comprised of representatives from various levels, departments and offices across a number of regions, reports directly and is accountable to the Board and continues to prioritize ESG initiatives that impact Plaza’s business. The mandate of the committee is to review, assess and advance Plaza’s ESG initiatives, as well as help ensure timely, accurate and transparent disclosure of same.

More at Corporate Governance

A great strength of ours is our entrepreneurial spirit. We have a stream-lined approval process and are transparent. We get things done.

Bill Bilkas – VP Ontario Development