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| | Verdani’s Communications team plays a vital role in transforming environmental progress into compelling narratives and designed materials that resonate with key stakeholders. Through clear, accessible writing and impactful design, we help clients showcase the value of their environmental, social, and governance initiatives across multi-billion-dollar portfolios while driving meaningful performance improvements. From visuals that bring sustainability programs to life to storytelling that simplifies complex data, we ensure every message fosters engagement, understanding, and action. |
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|  | | Produced 20 annual sustainability reports |
| | Launched 2 client sustainability report microsites |
| | Provided strategic communications guidance to 18 clients |
| | Developed 7 thought leadership and industry insights pieces |
| | Contributed to 20 sustainability-related events, webinars, or panels |
| | Produced 12 stakeholder engagement campaigns |
| In 2025, we remain committed to delivering high-impact communications that drive results for our clients. Our team of fourteen industry professionals brings dynamic, relevant expertise, ensuring every piece we produce is clear, compelling, and effective.
We invite you to dive into this sustainability communications-focused edition of Verdani Vitals and discover how clear, impactful messaging can drive progress toward your ESG goals. This newsletter underscores how sustainability communications can elevate the efficacy and reach of your portfolio; we encourage you to use the contact button at the end of the newsletter to connect with us on how Verdani can help your business thrive. |
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| | | |  | Our Communications team transforms sustainability initiatives into narratives that engage stakeholders at every level while driving business value. We craft clear, consistent messaging — reaching stakeholders from the C-suite to tenants — that enhances brand reputation, strengthens investor confidence, and supports long-term growth. Through reports, campaigns, and media, we ensure your sustainability performance communications deliver impact and measurable results. |
| | | Communications and engagement gap analysis |
| | Annual sustainability, ESG, and impact reports |
| | Annual communications program strategy and implementation |
| | Thought leadership and industry insights |
| | Stakeholder engagement and program branding |
| | Double materiality and visioning surveys |
| | | | Press releases and social calendars |
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| | |  | The commercial real estate sector is undergoing a transformation, one driven by a convergence of investor scrutiny, tenant demand, and regulatory shifts. Sustainability is no longer a secondary consideration or a compliance exercise. It is a strategic asset, a competitive differentiator, and the foundation of resilient, high-performing real estate portfolios.
Tomorrow’s most successful real estate firms won’t just track sustainability metrics; they will leverage performance storytelling to build investor confidence, attract top-tier tenants, and ready their assets for the future. The industry is moving beyond static reporting toward real-time transparency, predictive ESG analytics, and engagement strategies that bridge the gap between sustainability commitments and tangible value creation. |
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| | How Sustainability Communications Redefine Competitive Advantage |
| Investor Trust is Shaped by Transparency According to PwC’s 2021 Global Investor ESG Survey, nearly half of investors, 49%, are prepared to divest from companies that fail to take meaningful action on sustainability. Clear, proactive disclosures are no longer optional, they define capital flow, risk perception, and investment decisions. |
| Tenant Expectations Are Driving Market Shifts In their 2022 U.S. Industrial & Logistics Occupier Survey, CBRE found that 72% of industrial tenants would pay a premium for green energy solutions, signaling a market-wide shift toward sustainability-driven leasing decisions. Likewise, their 2024 Americas Office Occupier Sentiment Survey showed that 77% of large occupiers favored in-building sustainability, versus 61% last year. Asset owners who effectively communicate their green building features, energy efficiency initiatives, and long-term environmental strategies will attract and retain high-value tenants. |
| Regulatory Pressure is Accelerating Market Alignment Sustainability regulations aren’t just about compliance, they’re reshaping market expectations, investor confidence, and corporate reputation. As regulations like California Climate Disclosure Laws, Building Performance Standards, CSRD, and SFDR drive greater transparency, firms that proactively communicate their alignment do more than mitigate risk, they position themselves as industry leaders, policy influencers, and trusted investment partners. Clear, data-driven communications ensure that regulatory disclosures aren’t just technical obligations but strategic assets that reinforce credibility with investors, tenants, and industry stakeholders. Firms that engage stakeholders with proactive sustainability storytelling, policy advocacy, and transparent reporting are not only staying ahead of compliance but also strengthening their brand, attracting institutional capital, and shaping the industry’s future. |
| Sustainability Branding Now Defines Reputation and Market Position 64% of marketing professionals expect social impact and environmental sustainability to become a more important area of focus in the next two years, according to July 2023 data from Ecoconsultancy. The focus on sustainability among senior marketers worldwide more than doubled, rising from 8% in 2022 to 18% in 2023, according to MediaLink. Further, 56% North American marketers are allocating between 11% and 40% of their budgets to promoting business sustainability efforts, according to August 2023 data from Dentsu. These trends highlight that environmental and social responsibility aren’t just operational priorities, they are core brand narratives that influence stakeholder trust, media perception, and leasing performance. |
| | What Real Estate Firms Should Do Now |
| While the future belongs to those who embrace sustainability as a strategic advantage, the path forward requires intentional action today. Here’s what real estate leaders should focus on now: |
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| | Conduct a Communications Audit: Assess where gaps exist between sustainability strategy, investor messaging, and tenant engagement. Identify areas where transparency can be improved. |
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| | Align Reporting with Business Goals: Move beyond compliance-driven disclosures and build sustainability narratives that reinforce long-term asset value, investor confidence, and operational efficiency. |
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| | Strengthen Stakeholder Engagement: Develop clear communications strategies for investors, tenants, and employees to ensure sustainability initiatives are understood, supported, and leveraged for business growth. |
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| | Train Teams to Communicate Sustainability Effectively: From investor relations to property management, ensuring teams are equipped to discuss sustainability strategy enhances credibility and trust. |
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| | Leverage Thought Leadership and Industry Influence: Position your firm as a sustainability leader by publishing insights, participating in industry forums, and engaging in policy discussions that shape the real estate sector. |
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| | Real estate firms that treat sustainability communications as a strategic advantage rather than a reporting obligation will capture investment, drive tenant demand, and fortify their portfolios. The future of real estate isn’t just about sustainability, it’s about how effectively firms communicate their commitment, innovation, and leadership in this space.
The question isn’t whether strategic sustainability and ESG communications matter, it’s whether your firm is ready to use them as a competitive edge. |
| | |  | The RMR Group: A leading alternative asset management company.
Challenge RMR sought to create a visually engaging, interactive, and user-friendly digital experience that provided a high-level introduction to their sustainability program. The goal was to develop a microsite that distilled key insights from a 70+ page sustainability report into a concise, accessible format while maintaining a cohesive look and feel across both media. The microsite was to be integrated into RMR’s website, offering stakeholders a streamlined way to explore key achievements, performance highlights, and program milestones.
Solution Verdani’s team designed, developed, and deployed a digital platform using HTML files that seamlessly mirrored the look and feel of the annual report. This interactive experience highlighted key sustainability performance indicators (KPIs) and program spotlights, ensuring a visually cohesive and engaging user experience. |
|  | Results The microsite, featured on the Corporate Sustainability page of RMR's website: Transformed a complex 70+ page sustainability report into an engaging, interactive digital experience Enhanced accessibility and usability, ensuring seamless navigation for stakeholders Strengthened brand storytelling with a visually cohesive and data-rich platform Validated success through positive stakeholder feedback, reinforcing the platform’s value
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|  | The final product gave RMR a dynamic and innovative platform to showcase their sustainability achievements, making critical data and insights more accessible, engaging, and impactful for a broader audience. Click here to view RMR’s report. |
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| Contact us to learn more about how Verdani’s Communications team can help you! |
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| | | Introducing Verdani’s New, Enhanced Website |
|  | We’re excited to unveil updates to our corporate website, designed to give clients and industry professionals clearer insights into the evolving sustainability landscape. At Verdani, we equip clients with strategies that protect assets, mitigate risks, increase building performance, and build resilience against climate impacts and regulatory shifts.
As the industry advances, so do we, expanding our services, delivering high-impact solutions, and driving long-term value for our clients. Stay tuned for fresh insights, thought leadership, and new resources throughout the year. |
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| | |  | | | Accessible PDFs improve readability for assistive technology users and enhance user experience for all. |
| | Digital accessibility helps businesses expand their reach, boost SEO, and reduce legal risks. |
| | Upcoming regulations make accessibility a proactive business priority rather than a reactive fix. |
| When most people open a PDF, they read it top to bottom, left to right. However, for those using assistive technology like screen readers, the experience depends on how the document is structured. If a PDF isn't designed for accessibility, screen readers may read content in a confusing, disorganized way, skipping sections, disordering text, or making key information inaccessible.
Ensuring PDF reports comply with the PDF/Universal Accessibility standard (PDF/UA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 improves usability for assistive technology users while also benefiting individuals with cognitive impairments, color blindness, and other neurodivergences.
Why Accessibility Matters Solutions designed for a specific group often improve experiences for everyone. Consider sidewalk curb cuts: originally created for wheelchair users, they also benefit parents with strollers, travelers with rolling luggage, and individuals with mobility impairments. Similarly, digital accessibility extends beyond permanent disabilities to temporary (e.g., a broken arm) and situational disabilities (e.g., struggling to hear in a noisy environment), making content more usable for a wider audience.
The Business Benefits of Accessibility Beyond inclusivity, accessibility delivers measurable business value: Improved SEO and Web Traffic: Accessible PDFs include metadata, transcripts, and structured content, boosting search engine visibility and driving more traffic. Legal Compliance: The EU mandates all online content be accessible by June 2025, and some U.S. states have their own regulations. Federal requirements for government contractors may follow by 2026. Expanded Market Reach: With an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide living with disabilities, accessibility increases audience engagement and potential revenue. Stronger Brand Loyalty: Consumers in the accessibility community tend to be loyal to companies that prioritize inclusive design.
Investing in accessibility isn’t just about compliance, it’s about creating a more inclusive and profitable digital experience. Contact Verdani’s Communications team to assess your reporting accessibility needs. |
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| | |  | As scrutiny of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives increases, businesses must adapt their strategies to stay compliant while maintaining their long-term commitments. Recent policy shifts signal growing challenges, including restrictions on DEI programs and political pushback against ESG-focused investments and climate initiatives. To navigate these evolving risks, companies must take a strategic approach to their DEI and ESG programs, adapting to address these challenges while preserving their long-term business objectives.
Adapting DEI Strategies Executive actions, including Executive Order 14173 and 14151, impact human capital and workforce management programs, including hiring, and public reporting. Companies should refine their approach to avoid compliance risks while still fostering an inclusive workplace. Refine language: Emphasize human capital and workplace culture, leadership development, and skills-based hiring rather than identity-based metrics. Assess risk exposure: Review hiring policies, training programs, and disclosures for compliance. Adapt messaging: Maintain focus on inclusive workforce engagement while avoiding terminology that may attract regulatory scrutiny.
How Verdani Helps: We can assist clients in adjusting DEI-related language in reports, marketing and investor materials, disclosures, and policies to align with evolving legal frameworks while continuing to promote inclusion.
Navigating “ESG” Challenges Political opposition to ESG is intensifying, including House Bill 3 (HB 3) and 165 distinct pieces of anti-ESG legislation across 37 states, requiring businesses to strategically position their commitments to maintain investor confidence and regulatory alignment. Reframe messaging: Highlight operational efficiency, financial risk management, and business resilience. Diversify reporting frameworks: Maintain compliance across voluntary and regulatory ESG standards (e.g., CDP, GRESB, IFRS, California Climate Disclosure Laws, CSRD) to mitigate risks from regulatory rollbacks. Strengthen financial justification: Focus on cost savings, investor demand, and market competitiveness.
How Verdani Helps: We can refine ESG messaging in investor presentations, marketing materials, and sustainability reports, align disclosures with shifting regulations, and develop strategies that balance sustainability goals with compliance needs.
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| Key Takeaways for Reframing Language: |
| | Focus on Materiality – Prioritize ESG initiatives that align with core business risks and opportunities. |
| | Enhance Stakeholder Engagement – Proactively communicate ESG strategies to investors, clients, and other stakeholders to foster trust and mitigate opposition. |
| | Frame DEI and ESG within business and performance contexts, focusing on leadership, workforce engagement, and financial impact. |
| | Avoid terms that imply mandates, quotas, or ideology, and instead use neutral, business-driven alternatives. |
| | Position sustainability and workforce efforts as strategic risk management rather than political or social movements. |
| Verdani is here to help businesses navigate these evolving challenges with clarity, strategy, and impact. Let’s build resilience together. |
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| |  | In 2025, we continue to progress towards our vision by ensuring the communication materials we produce for our clients are effective and impactful. Our communications team is comprised of fourteen industry experts with dynamic, relevant educational and professional backgrounds that enable successful client deliverables. |
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| | Verdani Partners manages nearly two billion square feet of global real estate, delivering proven strategies that help firms lead in sustainability and outperform benchmarks. We help our clients turn sustainability commitments into action through ESG planning, energy management, decarbonization, compliance, and strategic communications. Partner with us to drive real impact and lasting value. |
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