JLL ends series of commemorative lives discussing the impact of ESG on the real estate market

Where is the real estate market on the ESG journey? What is the importance of this acronym, which has been gaining more space on the agendas for discussions about the future? How can we contribute to a better world? These and many other relevant questions guided the live that ended the celebrations of the 25 years of JLL's presence in Brazil, held last Thursday (12/09).

Broadcast live on JLL Brasil's social channels (YouTube and Facebook), the event was mediated by CBN radio anchor, Débora Freitas, and brought together three great experts in ESG – Luís Ronca, Head Brasil and COO LatAm of JLL Work Dynamics, Luciana Arouca, Director of Sustainability at JLL Work Dynamics, and Reinaldo Bulgarelli, consultant and executive secretary of the Fórum de Empresas e Direitos LGBTI+. The responsible for the opening was the CEO Brazil of JLL, Fábio Maceira.

"ESG came with great strength in companies, especially those serious and with growth intentions, to stay, because, in addition to being a mission, a goal today, it is what investors and the consumer market as a whole also want", said Fábio Maceira.

“Socially, we seek to look at our people, of course, but also at society, seeking to create a corporate environment in which everyone can shine. On the environment side, the real estate market is one of the most related to this, so we want to make a positive impact with the ESG agenda around the world, helping our clients. And, in governance, we are a company recognized for our ethics, for the way we work”, added JLL's CEO Brazil.

Head Brasil and COO of JLL Work Dynamics, Luís Ronca was responsible for dissecting a little of what the acronym ESG represents for business, especially in a scenario transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated trends and brought themes with even more force such as sustainability, care for the environment and promotion of social well-being in work environments.

"ESG is consolidated as an acronym to identify, in the business world, those companies that, in some way, have adapted their operations to reduce their impact on the environment, but also, in addition to the concern to become more sustainable, are concerned with transparency in its business, ultimately enhancing the social well-being of its people. And what does this result in? Workforce, because people want to work in a transparent company, it improves its image, encourages innovation, growth and strategic partnerships”, explains.

If for the corporate world discussions on environmental, social and governance responsibility have increased considerably, in the real estate market, responsible for 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 50% of world energy consumption and 40% of raw materials , ESG should be treated as an even more relevant reality.

“The purpose of JLL itself connects with a lot of what we have been analyzing about the impact of ESG. Here, we seek to shape the future of the real estate market for a better world. This means that we intend to promote the best possible interaction between people and spaces. And there is no way to do this without talking about sustainability, not to mention inclusion, not to mention spaces that promote well-being”, analyzed Luciana Arouca, Director of Sustainability at JLL Work Dynamics.

“Today, designing sustainability programs, having an ESG-oriented agenda is no longer just a good practice, it's a necessity, and it's up to us to help our clients make it effective across the entire portfolio. As a company in the real estate market, we have to be prepared for that”, he adds.

Despite the acronym meaning three different words, those who think that the right path is to choose one of them to focus on or even think about building a more sustainable world or having good financial results in a company are mistaken. According to Reinaldo Bulgarelli, consultant and executive secretary of the LGBTI+ Business and Rights Forum, the key is to connect “environmental, social and governance” (environmental, social and governance, in Portuguese).

“The letters that make up the ESG may look distinct, but they are associated, and any action must take this integration into account. Of course, each company is a company, each business is a business and you must adapt it to your field of activity, but it is in a joint way that you can assess risks, possibilities and opportunities. It is not enough to look at what bad has been done, but what good can be done. We have to feel part of it, and that is ESG: making a difference for the world we live in and for the future of our society,” he explained.

Watch the event! (in Portuguese)