Among Singapore REITs, Manulife US REIT stands out as one with a visibly more pronounced Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) posture.

In its annual reports, the office-focused REIT dedicates more than 30 pages towards elucidating its ESG initiatives.

Manulife US REIT has also recently hired a dedicated personnel to oversee its ESG plans - a trailblazing move when compared to peers in the S-REITs universe.

But while these initiatives may be good for the earth and the community, have these translated into tangible benefits for the unitholder?

The REIT’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Investor Relations and Capital Markets Officer Caroline Fong, tells REITsWeek that good ESG practices ultimately benefit the investor in three main ways: