Apartment Communities Setting Science-Based Targets and Making Deep Cuts in Emissions and Waste

Mark Delisi is the Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at AvalonBay Communities. In this position, he leads all Corporate Responsibility initiatives, including strategic philanthropy, environmental sustainability, responsible supply chain, and public reporting.

“In short, because our stakeholders care about it. Those stakeholders include our associates, our residents (clients) and the communities in which we do business. In addition, our investors are looking to invest in companies that understand the risks and opportunities associated with building a business for the long-term. This means we have to think about all of our stakeholders — from the communities in which we do business to our impact on the environment. We have 140,000+ residents who call us home, and they do not live in a vacuum. Therefore sustainability, or as we term it, Corporate Responsibility, is essential to our success in the long-term.”

“I like to use the term ESG — Environment, Social and Governance. Corporate Social Responsibility is about building a company that systematically includes all three of these areas in the way we conduct our business and our strategy for long-term success. We care about our impacts on the environment, and with over 280 apartment buildings, we know that we play an important role in reducing emissions and contributing to a carbon-free future. That’s why we set approved Science-Based Targets and will focus on emissions reductions that align with the Paris Climate Accord over the next 10 years. Strong corporate governance is part of our DNA, and we continue to focus on a culture that encourages high integrity and ethics in all that we do. And finally, as noted, our communities (our apartment homes) do not sit isolated from their surroundings. They are part of a larger community, and so our Building Strong Communities social investment program is designed to engage those communities and partner with non-profits focused on disaster recovery/preparedness, affordable housing and support for at-risk popu