Global Medical REIT Inc. (GMRE)
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2021, 2022, 2023)
Reporting Period: 2021
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:17,131 tons of total e-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions (0.01 ton per square foot)
Scope 1 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 2 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 3 Emissions:Not disclosed
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:36,826,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity (21.567 kilowatt-hours per square foot)
Water Consumption:404,285 cubic meters (0.237 cubic meters per square foot)
Waste Generated:Data collected from seven sites, but most have only one monthly bill covering trash and recycling.
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental
- Social
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Improved GRESB assessment score from 21 to 42 between 2019 and 2020; increased data coverage ratio from 11% to 50.5% during the same period.
- Collecting and tracking utility consumption data since 2019.
Social Achievements
- Launched Ride United pilot program in Phoenix, Arizona, providing 1,000 rides for medical appointments.
- Consistently low employee turnover (2% to 8%) despite company growth.
Governance Achievements
- Established an ESG Working Group comprising Board members and a senior executive.
- Internalized management structure in July 2020.
- Increased percentage of independent directors from 66% to 75%.
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Expand healthcare access for communities.
Medium-term Goals:
- Integrate climate risk into decision-making.
Short-term Goals:
- Reduce carbon footprint and energy use of properties.
- Support tenants in accessing capital and growing their businesses.
Environmental Challenges
- Triple-net lease structure limits direct influence on tenants' building operations and environmental practices.
- Difficulty in separating water usage inside buildings from external usage for landscape irrigation.
Mitigation Strategies
- Incentivizing tenants to adopt sustainable practices.
- Conducting Energy Utility Audits during due diligence to identify areas for improvement.
- Engaging a third-party climate intelligence risk assessor to integrate climate data into underwriting and portfolio management.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Not disclosed
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Not disclosed
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRESB
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: Measurabl (third-party ESG data management provider)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:27,996.49 tons of total e-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions (0.01 ton per square foot)
Scope 1 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 2 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 3 Emissions:Not disclosed
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:67,780,700 kilowatt-hours of electricity (31.053 kilowatt-hours per square foot)
Water Consumption:166,135 cubic meters
Waste Generated:Data collected from 11 sites, but most have only one monthly bill covering trash and recycling.
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental
- Social
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Improved portfolio collection coverage of utility data from 11% to 51% in two years.
- Two facilities earned ENERGY STAR certification in 2022 (one with a score of 99).
- Installed solar panels on Lakeside Medical Suites, projected to reduce electricity purchase by 79% and save over $1 million over 25 years.
Social Achievements
- Sponsored 1,070 non-emergency medical rides through the Ride United project, exceeding the goal of 1,000.
- Employee engagement survey showed 100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with a welcoming culture; 95% described the culture as productive; over 80% see themselves remaining at GMRE for more than three years.
- Moved to a new LEED Platinum certified and WELL Health & Safety certified headquarters.
Governance Achievements
- Established a formal ESG Committee to oversee ESG strategy, policies, communications, and compliance.
- Completed an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) exercise to explore operational exposure to ESG-related risks and opportunities.
- Implemented a robust peer review program for the Board of Directors.
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Medium-term Goals:
- Achieve carbon neutrality.
- Expand Ride United program to Orlando, Florida.
Short-term Goals:
- Expand data collection to include all electricity, gas, water, and waste data for every building.
Environmental Challenges
- Triple-net lease structure complicates easy access to utility data.
- Need to expand the breadth and improve the quality of data collection across the portfolio.
Mitigation Strategies
- Implementing Yardi’s Facility Manager module to better track systems, equipment, and fixtures.
- Conducting research into energy sources of all buildings.
- Working with Georgetown University Steers Center of Real Estate to improve data quality and ensure compliance with future reporting requirements.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Not disclosed
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Energy efficiency initiatives, renewable energy sources.
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRESB
Certifications: ENERGY STAR, LEED Platinum (Headquarters), WELL Health & Safety (Headquarters)
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
- Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
- Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
- Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
GMRE's initiatives contribute to these goals through various programs and practices.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed
Reporting Period: 2023
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:26,962 tCO2e (Scope 3)
Scope 1 Emissions:0 tCO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:0 tCO2e
Scope 3 Emissions:26,962 tCO2e
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:82.05 M kWh
Water Consumption:2.705 cubic meters
Waste Generated:6,437 tons
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Governance
- Employee Engagement
- Healthcare Access
Environmental Achievements
- Earned ENERGY STAR certifications for five properties.
- Improved GRESB score from 46 to 54.
- Implemented 20 HVAC upgrades and five roof replacements.
- Increased data coverage ratio from 11% to 55% for utility data.
- Expanded due diligence to include climate risk and environmental sustainability assessments.
Social Achievements
- Maintained very low employee turnover.
- Engaged BalancedWork consultancy to enhance employee engagement.
- 46% of workforce is women; 38% is ethnically diverse.
- Implemented employee-centric policies (unlimited PTO, hybrid work).
Governance Achievements
- Established an ESG Committee of the Board of Directors.
- Audit Committee took on oversight responsibility for cybersecurity.
- Developed and adopted a Cybersecurity Response Plan.
- Implemented policies promoting ethics and integrity (Code of Business Conduct).
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Developing an approach to support portfolio’s potential for greenhouse gas emission reduction and setting goals.
Medium-term Goals:
- Expanding data collection efforts, focusing on quality and consistency.
- Expanding the number of properties submitted for ENERGY STAR evaluation.
Short-term Goals:
- Leveraging building improvement budgets to raise property values and improve operating efficiency.
- Renewing and re-leasing thousands of square feet, incorporating sustainability initiatives.
Environmental Challenges
- Limited ability to directly affect energy measurement and consumption due to triple-net lease structure.
- Climate change threats to physical assets, communities, and stakeholders.
- Challenges in collecting utility data from tenants.
- Cybersecurity risks.
Mitigation Strategies
- Working with tenants to improve environmental practices.
- Incorporating climate risk evaluations into due diligence.
- Using Moody’s 427 Risk Management platform to assess climate risk exposure.
- Implementing utility and energy audits.
- Developing a Cybersecurity Response Plan.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Not disclosed
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather, flooding, power grid failure
Transition Risks
- High energy prices, economic instability, supply chain disruptions
Opportunities
- Energy efficiency improvements, lower operating costs
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRESB
Certifications: ENERGY STAR
Third-party Assurance: ISOS (third-party ESG project partner)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- High-energy-efficient products
Awards & Recognition
- ENERGY STAR certifications
- GRESB score improvement