BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global Medical REIT Inc. (NYSE: GMRE) (the “Company” or “GMRE”), a net-lease medical office real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and acquires healthcare facilities and leases those facilities to physician groups and regional and national healthcare systems, today announced the publication of the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility Report (“the Report”) detailing its approach to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics.
Jeffrey M. Busch, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President stated, “At its core, our ESG framework is a dynamic, forward-looking approach to investing in our assets, managing our properties and operating our business. We focus on the interests of all of our stakeholders, and are continuing our commitment to integrate our ESG principles into our regular business operations. As we look ahead, we will continue to advance our ESG initiatives as part of our ongoing growth and improvement. In everything we do, our decisions reflect our commitment to our corporate sustainability values: alignment, access and authenticity.”
The Company’s Report sets forth its commitment and efforts regarding environmental stewardship, social responsibility, strong corporate governance, and is available digitally at: GMRE CSR 2023
Environmental
The Company initiated its inaugural Report last year, but has been engaged in collecting and tracking environmental data from its tenants since 2019, including energy and water usage. The Report highlights the significant growth in the Company’s energy tracking efforts, from 11% of its tenants providing energy usage information in 2019, to approximately 51% currently. The Report also details the Company’s improved GRESB1 Assessment, in which GMRE moved up in its GRESB peer group2, improving from 10th to 4th place. Finally, the Report details additional measures the Company has implemented to ensure the validity and consistency of data, including a study from the Georgetown University Steers Center of Real Estate.
Social
The Company’s social effort continues to focus on its workforce, tenants and communities and describes the Company’s philosophy and goals regarding workforce and stakeholder engagement. A highlight of the Report is the success and expansion of GMRE’s pilot program Ride United, a partnership with The United Way and Lyft, which provides transportation for those in need to non-emergency medical appointments.
Governance
The Report also puts forth and details the continued enhancement of the Company’s governance practices, which are based on integrity, transparency and accountability. The Board has taken a proactive role in governance leadership and has prioritized its efforts to support the evolution of its ESG initiatives.
About Global Medical REIT Inc.
Global Medical REIT Inc. is a net-lease medical office REIT that acquires healthcare facilities and leases those facilities to physician groups and regional and national healthcare systems. Additional information on GMRE can be obtained on its website at www.globalmedicalreit.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained herein may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is the Company’s intent that any such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "plan," "predict," "project," "will," "continue" and other similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions and forecasts of future results. Except for historical information, the statements set forth herein including, but not limited to, any statements regarding our earnings, our liquidity, our tenants’ ability to pay rent to us, expected financial performance (including future cash flows associated with new tenants or the expansion of current properties), future dividends or other financial items; any other statements concerning our plans, strategies, objectives and expectations for future operations and future portfolio occupancy rates, our pipeline of acquisition opportunities and expected acquisition activity, including the timing and/or successful completion of any acquisitions and expected rent receipts on these properties, our expected disposition activity, including the timing and/or successful completion of any dispositions and the expected use of proceeds therefrom, and any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations, estimates and assumptions reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of the Company’s forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning us and our business, including additional factors that could materially and adversely affect our financial results, include, without limitation, the risks described under Part I, Item 1A - Risk Factors, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other filings with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement.
1 The Global ESG Benchmark for Real Assets
2 Our GRESB peer group included seven real estate companies of several types, with market caps between $730 million and $25 billion. The Steers Center peer group of 10 companies included only REITs, with smaller market cap variation; all but one had a healthcare focus.