Artis Real Estate Investment Trust

A Message from the President & Chief Executive Officer

At Artis, we have always valued corporate sustainability, and are pleased to release our fourth annual report. This year, we are expanding our report to include valuable information on our social and governance practices as well as continuing to report on our environmental progress. Our hope is that this expanded report will provide a more comprehensive overview of our values and commitment to improving in all areas of our business.

As one of Canada’s most prominent landlords, we are responsible for setting a high standard of sustainable practices and demonstrating the importance of environmental care and protection for our investors, tenants, employees and communities.We create a culture that values and prioritizes the environment, and consider it our mandate to invest in, develop and manage buildings in an environmentally prudent and resource efficient manner. As one of our core values, we believe that promoting and investing in environmentally sustainable assets is in the best interests of all of our stakeholders.

We value three globally recognized programs, LEED®, BOMA BEST and Energy Star. We consider certification by one or more of these programs integral to our asset investment and management strategy. This year we teamed up with GRESB to track, monitor and rank our progress in environmental, social and governance practices. We look forward to sharing our results with you in the years to come.

Socially, we seek to foster positive relationships with employees, tenants and the communities in which we operate. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and safe work environment. Employees make meaningful contributions to local charities through fundraising activities and by volunteering their time. Our active social committee and health and wellness committee provide opportunities for social engagement and an array of valuable information on health and wellness. This focus on a positive culture in the workplace and strong community relationships fosters an environment that is conducive to an engaged and dedicated workforce.

Our Board endeavours to continuously review and improve our governance practices to better align with industry best practices. In 2017, the Board’s Governance and Compensation committee conducted a widespread unitholder outreach campaign that focused on engaging in open and active dialogue with unitholders to elicit input and feedback. As a result, in 2018, a number of new policies were implemented that are described in more detail later in this report.

Sustainable and responsible environmental, social and governance practices will continue to be a focus at Artis. We continue to demonstrate our commitment to these practices, which support the long-term success and efficiency of our assets and help the company to attract and retain the best tenants and employees. I look forward to sharing our progress and the results of our environmental, social and governance initiatives throughout
the year.

Armin Martens, P. Eng., M.B.A.
President & C.E.O.