At INDUS, we are committed to building a sustainable future. We realize the impact we have on the communities we serve, and we are actively working to implement thoughtful, sustainable practices that span the realms of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and good corporate governance. We also recognize that an ESG-focused strategy is not just good for our communities and our stakeholders, but it's also good for our business. 

We believe environmental stewardship enhances the durability of our portfolio by attracting high-quality tenants, creating competitive advantages, minimizing risk, and maximizing returns. As such, this year we’ve implemented a Sustainable Construction & Development Policy to formalize the practices which we’ve been building to all along, and also to set some new goals for all future development deliveries. In 2021, we also began onboarding an environmental data management system to track historical and ongoing water, energy and utility metrics and usage across our portfolio. Through the implementation of a more robust data monitoring system, we aim to establish Key Performance Indicators and better understand, manage, track, and reduce our environmental footprint.

We believe that we have the opportunity to enhance our financial and operational performance through socially responsible employee and supplier and vendor policies, community engagement, and by increasing our efforts related to diversity, equity and inclusion. As an equal opportunity employer, we promote a message of diversity and inclusion and reward our employees based on merit and their individual contributions. We comply with all applicable labor rights laws and seek opportunities to work with vendors and suppliers that do the same.

Thoughtful corporate governance and stakeholder engagement provides the foundation for INDUS’ success by building positive and long-term relationships with our constituents, including investors, partners, tenants, employees, and our local communities. Our employees comply with a comprehensive Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”) that encourages honesty, accountability, integrity and mutual respect. The Code also offers safe communication channels for handling ethical issues and concerns.

Our responsibility to our sustainability practices has led to recognition within our industry and the communities we serve. In 2023, we were named a 2023 Green Lease Leader at the Gold Level by the Institute for Market Transformation and Better Buildings. Gold recognition applauds the establishment of foundational policies and business practices that encourage sustainability in leased spaces. 

In addition, in early 2023, the Best Companies Group, a research firm focused on workplace excellence, recognized INDUS as one of the winners of the “Great Employers in Connecticut” award. This award recognizes companies that have created outstanding workplace environments, based on employee feedback, company policies, and overall satisfaction.

As we continue to build out our ESG programs and develop new policies and procedures, we look forward to sharing our ongoing progress with you. We are also committed to remaining engaged with all of our constituents – from tenants to employees – and welcome opportunities for feedback on our efforts.

Oversight of Our ESG Practices

We have an Internal ESG Committee consisting of representatives from the following areas of the business: Investor Relations & Capital Markets, Construction & Development, Acquisitions, Property Management, Leasing, Finance, HR & Legal. Our Internal ESG Committee meets monthly and is directly responsible for (a) identifying, implementing and monitoring sustainable initiatives across our portfolio, (b) finding opportunities for both tenant and employee engagement and wellness, and (c) reviewing and recommending better governance practices, policies and programs to be implemented at INDUS.

Stakeholder Engagement

Employees

We conducted an employee engagement survey in 2022 through a third-party organization to measure our company’s culture, our employees’ engagement and their overall satisfaction with their work, their work environment, their benefits package and their relationship with management.

We recognize that our employees have much to offer on ways that our culture and employee offerings could be improved. In response to this survey, we have implemented a formal, annual employee training program on a variety of topics including Diversity & Inclusion, Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption, Data Privacy & Information Security, ESG, among others. Additionally, we opened our new corporate office space in Bloomfield, CT with a more sustainable and wellness-focused workspace, which takes into account many of the feedback elements we received from our team on department adjacencies, noise levels, preferred furniture choices, among others.

Additionally, in response to employee feedback, we have implemented:

  • a Charitable Giving Policy, which provides for corporate donation matching of employee gifts as well as eight hours of paid time per employee per year for volunteer activities
  • a Wellness Reimbursement Policy to encourage employees to partake in activities that positively impact their quality of life
  • an Education Reimbursement Policy to support employees in the pursuit of higher education and additional learning opportunities
  • Quarterly employee appreciation lunches
For more information on our complete offering of Employee Benefits, please see our Employee Benefits Summary.

In 2022, INDUS established the Employee & Community Engagement Committee (ECEC), a voluntary employee-run committee established with the purpose of promoting the health and well-being of employees, tenants, and our communities. Since establishment, some of the committees' contributions include: monitoring and improving employee satisfaction, expanding DEI efforts, supporting charities, and planning for engagement events. 

Tenants & Community

At INDUS, our relationships with our tenants span buildings and markets, and we seek to create an environment that encourages long-term tenancy. INDUS regularly hosts tenant engagement events in the form of BBQs and tenant picnics, golf & bowling events, blood drives, and delivery of holiday cookies.

In 2022, INDUS conducted a tenant survey to gauge our tenants' current demands and ever-changing needs. We also recently engaged with our tenants to express the importance of the sustainability of our buildings, and to ask for their participation in a data collection effort to better track water, gas and electricity usage across our portfolio. Upon collection of a minimum level of utility usage and efficiency data, we intend to evaluate opportunities for capital improvement projects to increase the efficiency of our buildings at similar or cost savings to our tenants.

In alignment with our tenant engagement efforts, INDUS also created a tenant-only web portal in the beginning of 2023. Our tenant portal features a variety of resources and helpful information for our tenants, such as our tenant sustainability guide, tenant handbook, and property management contact information. 

ESG Goals

UN SDG Goals INDUS Initiatives / Progress
#1 #1 – No Poverty No Poverty
Goals Be of Service to Our Communities INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • Implemented Charitable Donation Matching Program
  • Instituted one additional PTO day per year for employees to use for volunteer efforts of their choice
  • Provided ongoing corporate support to local community organizations in regions where we do business
  • Participated in corporate volunteer day at CT Foodshare
#3 #3 – Good Health & Well-Being Good Health & Well-Being
Goals Enhance Employee Well-Being INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • Implemented wellness & fitness reimbursement policy for employees to participate in the wellness-oriented activities of their choice
  • Ongoing evaluation of employee benefit plan best practices
  • Redesigned our Bloomfield, CT office to support our focus on wellness and sustainability 
  • Established Employee & Community Engagement Committee
  • Achieved Best Place to Work in Connecticut award from Best Companies Group for 2023
#5 #5 – Gender Equality Gender Equality
Goals Improve Gender-Balanced Representation and Hiring Practices INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • Achieve 50% women and/or self-identifying minorities in corporate office positions over time
    • As of 12/31/2022, women and/or a self-identifying minority make up 33% of INDUS' employees
  • Became signatories of the UN Women's Empowerment Program and CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion
#6 #6 – Clean Water & Sanitation Clean Water & Sanitation
Goals Increase Water-Use Efficiency INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • To conserve water, all new developments feature best management practices for irrigation and landscaping based on local climates and municipal regulations
  • Install low-flow technology for faucets and toilets
  • Goal to increase data collection efforts on water usage at INDUS properties
#7 #7 – Affordable & Clean Energy Affordable & Clean Energy
Goals Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Install Solar Panels INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • For each new development property beginning in 2022, install at least one Level 2 (208-240 Volt AC power) or higher electric vehicle charging station (with capacity for at least two vehicles to charge on site simultaneously)
  • Approved to install solar panels at two sites in CT in 2022
  • All newly developed buildings to have load bearing capacity to accommodate solar panels on roofs
#9 #9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
Goals Prioritize Energy & Utility Conservation INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • As of 12/31/2022, 58% of INDUS' industrial/logistics square footage was covered by LED lighting
  • Rolled out LED Lighting Energy Efficiency Program (LEEP) to tenants
  • All new developments will feature 100% LED lighting by default
#10 #10 – Reduced Inequalities Reduced Inequalities
Goals Promote Diversity Focused Hiring and Training Programs INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • Develop and maintain hiring and management practices that promote racial equality
  • All open positions must interview diverse candidates
  • Achieve 100% employee participation annually in Diversity Training
#11 #11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities Sustainable Cities & Communities
Goals Create Community-Driven Amenities INDUS Initiatives / Progress
  • Continue investments in community amenities with new development projects such as: improved roads & infrastructure as part of the development process, access to public transit, addition of public green spaces