REITS have always been responsive to changes in the corporate culture and, like other companies, are paying attention to many issues of the day including Board Gender Diversity and adhering to an Environmental and Societal Criteria (E&S).

“At the end of the day, every public company has to listen to shareholders,” explains Kranz. “ Right now gender diversity in the boardroom rightfully continues to be a focus across industries and sectors, including among public REITs.”

According to the report, as of January 2019, approximately 19% of all directorships across RMZ-constituent companies were held by women. That figure is up from approximately 13% in 2017. As a matter of fact, over one-half of all new directors elected by REITs in 2018 were women. Influential investors such as State Street Global Advisors, BlackRock, and CalPERS have also incorporated board diversity into their voting policies and shareholders have actually shown a willingness to vote against boards that do not show a commitment to gender diversity.

Representing trillions of dollars in gross real estate assets and with a collective portfolio of over 500,000 properties in the United States, the REIT industry encompasses a significant environmental footprint. As a result, adapting a progressive approach to E&S practices will be important for REITs as they work on retaining and attracting capital resources. REITs, too, are not immune from being evaluated on issues such as community involvement, corporate ethics and employee engagement. Carbon footprint reduction, conservation policies and energy efficiency are also considered when REITs are examined under a telescope.