Our dedication to social impact is rooted in aims to enrich local economies linked to the interests of our employees, customers, partners, vendors and other stakeholders.
Social Impact
We focus on three primary areas:
Contributing to Our Communities
Our social impact initiatives are designed to amplify our efforts to create and operate inspiring workplaces that blend the best of work, home and hospitality. Our team’s passion for volunteerism and philanthropy is complemented by community engagement initiatives that have both societal and business benefits.
We also leverage our properties to facilitate community convenings with customers and their employees. In 2023, we increased our community engagement events over the previous year, hosting more than 450 events attended by more than 15,000 tenant participants. Events included peer networking, professional development, educational sessions, art and music, community health and DEI-related celebrations, as well as donation drives and volunteering.
Volunteering
We encourage employee volunteerism through initiatives such as full-time EQ employees receiving eight hours of paid time off each year to volunteer. We also track our collective volunteer contributions and recognize employees who go above and beyond in terms of community service. In 2023, our employees volunteered more than 2,300 hours on behalf of nonprofit organizations.
To maximize our employees’ dedication to their communities, we offer a matching program of up to $1,000 per year for each employee to donate to a credible nonprofit organization of their choosing.
Photo Credits: Anna Munzesheimer
In-kind Donations
We seek to leverage our core competencies, particularly managing great gathering spaces, to benefit community groups and nonprofit organizations.
In 2023, Willis Tower donated over 91,000 square feet to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, the American Red Cross and The Simple Good. Also during the year, our 350 N Orleans property donated almost 5,400 square feet of office space to LadderUp.
We held several nonprofit fundraising drives in 2023, including for school supplies, clothing, furniture, equipment and technology. Our donation drives collected:
• 6,700+ items of school supplies
• 800 clothing items
• ~8,150 pieces of technology or equipment
Season of Giving
During the EQ Season of Giving, our employees and customers are encouraged to volunteer and donate through facilitated events in all cities where we operate. 2023 activities included:
Literacy Kits
Through the nonprofit Love Letters for Literacy, EQ employees created literacy kits for preschoolers in need. These handmade packets comprised alphabet flashcards, a letter from the volunteer and a list of educational games.
Care Packages
Properties held events to assemble care packages for the unsheltered or recently housed, resulting in more than 500 care packages being distributed to local communities.
Reducing Plastic Use
The Fill it Forward Challenge encouraged sustainable behavior by rewarding employees for reusing their water bottles. The team activity also reduced single-use plastic and encouraged hydration and wellness. Employees used a QR code to track each water bottle reuse. Every scan resulted in a donation to the nonprofit, DigDeep.
Electronics Donations in Los Angeles
for people in need, resulting in over 11,000 pounds of electronic waste diverted from landfill COMPUTER DEVICES
at low-or no-cost donated through partnership with Human-IT and in collaboration with customers
EQ joined CoreGiving as a corporate member in 2024 because we believe in its dedication to eliminating child hunger. CoreGiving’s goal is to provide more than 20 million meals to food-insecure households and dedicate over 10,000 hours of hunger-relief volunteer service each year. EQ has previously been involved with the annual CoreGiving Day and Brackett Battle fundraising campaign. As part of our commitment, our CEO, Alex Vouvalides, has also joined CoreGiving’s Board of Directors.
Expanding Our Philanthropy with CoreGiving
Photo Credits: Anna Munzesheimer
Extending Social Impact through Partnerships
In 2023, we continued to support a host of nonprofits that serve communities.
Nonprofit or Program
Bianco Gallery creates opportunities for under-represented communities in commercial arts
Blood Drives
Children’s Holiday Donation Drives
Kids in Need Foundation creates equitable learning environments in under-resourced communities
LadderUp provides free financial services to low-income people
Ladies for Ethnic Advancement and Dignity (LEAD) promotes the academic and social development of inner-city youth
Problem Library facilitates mentorship and creative education in visual arts for high school students
2023 Highlights
• 3,000 square feet of office space in the Seattle metro area donated to Bianco Gallery
• Willis Tower in Chicago has held American Red Cross blood drives for 20 years; in 2023, the property donated a combined total of 165,000 square feet across 23 blood drives attended by 1,000+ customers, employees and EQ volunteers
• 2,200 square feet of office space in the Los Angeles metro area donated to UCLA Health for blood drives
• Donated 400+ gifts to BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association), 400+ toys to New York Cares and 150+ toys and books to Toys for Tots in Los Angeles, New York, San Diego and Seattle with our customers
• Donated 1,250+ school supplies, including backpacks, in partnership with our customers
• 5,400 square feet of office space in the Chicago metro area donated to LadderUp
• 1,100 square feet of office space in the Los Angeles metro area donated to LEAD for six professional development workshops
• 760 square feet of office space in the San Franscisco Bay Area donated to Problem Library
Nonprofit or Program
Skydeck Ticket Donations and Tours provides free tickets and tours for a variety of groups and events
SkyRise Chicago annual fundraising event supporting the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, which provides care to stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury patients
TechBridge provides software and technology training for nonprofits
The Simple Good empowers youth to become activists through art, mindfulness and social-emotional learning
Wallis Annenberg PetSpace strengthens the bond between humans and animals
YouthBuild champions opportunity youth as they reclaim their education, gain job skills, and become leaders in their communities. YouthBuild USA is the nonprofit support center for 280+ YouthBuild programs around the world
2023 Highlights
• 1,200+ tickets donated to visit Skydeck at Willis Tower
• Subsidized youth visits in concert with Chicago Public Schools and Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Donated 115+ employee hours to building tours
• Worked with the Chicago Architecture Center on educational events for children and families, including popular behindthe-scenes engineering tours
• Willis Tower event at which people climb 105 flights of stairs
• 1,750 participants
• $1.1+ million raised to advance rehabilitation and research
• $14.6 million total raised since SkyRise began in 2009
• 60,000 square feet of space donated at Willis Tower
• 3,700 square feet of office space in the Atlanta metro area donated to TechBridge
• 17,000 square feet of space in the Chicago metro area donated to The Simple Good
• 7,000 square feet of space in the Los Angeles metro area donated quarterly to Wallis Annenberg PetSpace for pet adoption events
• Multi-year support, with 2023 grant contributing to improved outcomes for 200+ students and training to 350+ YouthBuild program leaders
• Events hosted by EQ included mentorship sessions, professional development workshops and property tours
• Professional clothing drive in Los Angeles
• School backpack drive in New York resulted in 4,000+ donated supplies
• 2,400 square feet of office space donated in Seattle metro area
• General contractor for redevelopment of US Bank Center in Seattle hired a candidate from YouthBuild
Spotlight: Willis Tower Amplifies its Social Impact
Willis Tower is a beloved fixture in Chicago, visited by millions of people each year. In 2023, EQ further enriched the neighborhood by organizing and hosting events to engage tenants and the community in learning, networking, fundraising, art and volunteering.
Women of Willis
For the fifth year running, EQ hosted a panel discussion and workshop featuring expert speakers in honor of International Women’s Day. Over 145 customers attended and were offered free professional headshots by a woman-owned photography company. This forum has transformed into a regular networking community, engaging over 700 professionals who convene on topics such as workplace equity.
Highlighting Local Artists and Craftspeople
To celebrate Willis Tower’s 50th anniversary, EQ procured A Chicago Story, a temporary art exhibition curated by Elevation Worldwide, a local, minorityowned firm known for immersive art experiences and community engagement. A tribute to Chicago’s storied skyline and Willis Tower’s place in it, the three-month event featured local minority artists.
The exhibition grew out of EQ’s Art of the Neighborhood initiative, which fosters art programming to support Chicago’s vibrant arts community. EQ employees at Willis Tower also organize an annual holiday market, now in its fourth year, that features local, minority-owned and small businesses and artisans selling special gifts.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do at Willis Tower. Throughout the year, we are committed to diverse social programming innately rooted in creating a positive impact to our neighborhood, city and beyond. From customer-exclusive programming to wellness fairs to art pop-ups, our team champions this work through countless dynamic initiatives.”
Kirsten Ekdahl Hull SVP, Portfolio Management, EQ Office
The iconic Willis Tower serves as an anchor in Chicago by preserving and promoting local culture, providing enriching experiences for the public and giving back to the community. Just one of the many ways the property does this is through the Skydeck. This tower offers spectacular views as well as the Ledge, a glass balcony extending four feet outside the tower’s 103rd floor at over 1,350 feet in the air.
Chicago’s tallest building and one of the tallest in the world, Willis Tower is popular with locals and visitors alike, who flock to its restaurants and shopping and especially to the Skydeck. In 2023 alone, the Skydeck saw an estimated attendance of almost 1.2 million, including visitors from every state and 160 countries. These visits supported more than 100,000 jobs during the year, according to Choose Chicago Research & Analysis.4
“Skydeck is a place of pride for Chicago, just like Willis Tower itself, honoring the history and culture of our city. It is also a memory maker for our visitors and an awe-inspiring experience that makes them happy, which is why we work hard every day to be good caretakers of this unique landmark, whether through tours for youth groups, fundraisers, volunteering, teambuilding or special events.”
Randy Stancik
General Manager, Skydeck Chicago, Willis
Willis Tower Skydeck
Tower, EQ Office
Spotlight: U.S. Bank Center Seattle –Reimagining the Office
In 2023, EQ completed the renovation at U.S. Bank Center, located in the heart of Seattle’s Central Business District. The project reimagined the iconic building’s public spaces to be more inviting.
Community Engagement Events
The property promotes community engagement with events throughout the year. A recent series focused on food and featured minority-owned vendors and local small businesses that provided customers with a range of experiences, including cooking classes. One of the pop-up vendors has since become a permanent business in Cedar Hall, providing additional exposure for this small business entrepreneur.
FEET SQUARE FEET
Community Meeting Place
Walkable and Bikeable
“U.S. Bank Center functions as a downtown anchor, especially to the vital Pike-Pine Corridor, serving our customers and the public alongside the city’s own efforts to bring people back to this part of the city. We are proud to be able to contribute to the economic vitality of downtown Seattle.”
of retail intended for local, regional and national users on three levels
TRANSIT SCORE
99 walk score, 75 bike score from Walk Score
100% local artists
60% ethnic minorities or members of indigenous cultures of commercial office space, retail and amenities on 44 stories
PIECES OF ART
At the heart of the building is Cedar Hall (pictured to the lower right), an inspiring street-level public experience and communal meeting place for art, culture and retail. Cedar Hall offers a place to gather, eat, shop and play in an indoor-outdoor experience. Upstairs, a state-of-the-art Montessori-based childcare center helps tenants and members of the public manage work/life balance.
A Celebration of Local Artists
The U.S. Bank Center Public Art Collection is an accessible art experience in the heart of downtown. The permanent art installations are from local artists with a personal connection to the city, and 60% were created by individuals who identify as ethnic minorities or are part of local indigenous cultures. The exhibitions were curated to celebrate diversity and inclusion in a colorful and multidimensional way.
Within walking distance of Seattle staples like Pike Place Market, the building has been rated 99 by Walk Score. It earned a 100 transit score, with light rail just one block away, and a bike score of 75. The building also has a bike commuter center that offers premium bike storage, showers, locker rooms and a self-use bike repair station. Electric vehicle charging stations are available in the below-ground garage.
Amy Baker General Manager, U.S. Bank Center, EQ Office
Photo Credit: Jenna Lynn, Jenna Lynn Photography
Photo Credit: Hannah Rankin, SkB Architects
“U.S. Bank Center is very much an institution. When we repositioned it, we also reimagined the office, bringing to life the future of work with a blend of hospitality and creative spaces so that all people, whether tenants or visitors, are drawn into a place where they feel comfortable in the setting.”
Art Stewardship
EQ’s social impact commitment comes to life by supporting local art. Public art—whether visual or performing—enhances the lives of our customers, neighbors and team members and invites community members to experience our buildings.
At our EmeryTech property in Northern California, an art project scheduled for completion in 2024 will highlight the neighborhood’s flora and fauna through a colorful mural. Supported by an Emeryville Public Art Grant, this and other area murals are also intended to foster creativity and limit graffiti.
In 2023:
100%
18 permanent art exhibitions installed new art exhibitions across our properties of art exhibitions were from local artists5
5 properties installed temporary art exhibitions
55% of permanent art exhibitions promoted DEI
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Zach Zaborowski SVP, Pacific Northwest,
Office
Photo Credit: Jenna Lynn, Jenna Lynn Photography
Photo Credit: Kyle Johnson, Bianco Artists
Photo Credit: Aesthetic Digital Media
Our People
We strive to position our employees for success in terms of both professional development and personal well-being, while promoting inclusion and collaboration. OneTeam is our core philosophy and foundation centered around seven values that reinforce our ability to do better and achieve more when we operate together and with an inherent mutual respect for each other.
Well-being
EQ’s benefits programs are designed to enable the well-being of our employees and their families. In addition to traditional medical, dental and vision benefits for full- and part-time employees who work 30 hours or more each week, we offer health savings and flexible spending accounts and a suite of family benefits. This includes parental leave, adoption assistance, fertility reimbursement and caregiver support. We also ensure that EQ employees have access to medical coverage outside their home state should needed services and care not be available nearby.
We continue to highlight mental health support services to our team members through our medical plans and virtually accessible platforms such as HeadspaceCare. Our employee assistance program provides confidential access to expert consultants, research and referral services, as well as professional counselors to help with personal, childcare, elder care, financial, legal or other everyday issues.
We believe these and other benefits enable our employees to be successful by helping them manage their life circumstances outside of work.
We also offer 401(k) retirement savings and income protection plans, such as short- and long-term disability, accident, life and accidental death and dismemberment and critical illness coverage.
Additional benefits include help finding quality care for children and elders through Bright Horizons, managing a family’s work/school/life balance and gaps in coverage, helping with college applications, coordinating care for older adults and even finding a dog walker.
Our personal time off program includes 15 company holidays, along with summer half-Fridays and a paid volunteer day. Additionally, our employees have access to the fitness centers and wellness programs offered in our properties.
Professional Development
Training and education—whether formal or on-the-job —enable critical professional development. Training programs available to EQ team members are designed to provide learning opportunities specific to an individual’s role or function.
We want our team members to be able to build rewarding careers at EQ, so additional career development offerings are based on employee roles, growth plans and goals. These include coaching and mentorship, educational assistance and career planning.
All employee growth and development plans start with performance reviews and discussions with managers to align on career goals. An in-house training catalogue covering various topics and skills is also available to employees. Company reimbursement and financial assistance for professional certifications and degrees further support employee development.
In 2023, all EQ employees participated in training on topics such as cybersecurity and harassment prevention. We offered bystander intervention and other specialized training in some areas, in keeping with our commitment to safety and security.
Another formal training example is EQ’s involvement in the Blackstone Analyst Accelerator Program, which is available to full-time financial analysts within Blackstone’s real estate portfolio companies. This 12-month hybrid learning experience consists of an accelerated development curriculum, mentorship, networking and other professional development opportunities that serve to fast-track careers in the real estate industry. In 2023, 100% of EQ’s asset management and investments analysts participated in this program.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
EQ has long worked to create welcoming and respectful spaces for our employees. We value the different perspectives and individuality of each unique team member, recognizing that when our employees represent and understand different perspectives, they enhance the services and insights we offer customers and business operations. Respect for each other is essential in our culture, and everyone is empowered to be themselves. This mindset fosters support for diversity in terms of gender, race and ethnicity as well as populations such as the LGBTQ+ community and individuals with disabilities or neurodivergences.
Representation
Gender and ethnicity representation data is one indicator to inform plans and goals. We share this information in the interest of transparent stakeholder communications. While there have been some positive developments, this is an important area for further improvements, which will factor into our future Sustainability and Social Impact strategy.
Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives start in our own offices and extend throughout our recruiting efforts, business networks, vendor relationships and broader communities. In addition, we track industry best practices and resources, leveraging the learning, insights and resources available through our ownership and broader network.
In 2023, in keeping with our broader Sustainability and Social Impact strategy development and transition, we began to update our DEI program. This included mapping out a multi-year strategy with increased executive engagement through new governance structures. When rolled out, the new framework will focus on:
• Cultivating a fair and equitable work environment for an inclusive and engaged workforce
• Building a diverse, high-performance workforce by improving recruitment and professional development processes
• Fostering relationships with external partners through our vendor diversity programming
• Extending accountability with impact measures to track progress
• Reviewing key human resources tools for inclusivity, such as job descriptions
• Deploying training that builds awareness of DEI issues
• Recognizing individual employee efforts
OneTeam in Action
Zachary Thomas, Operations Coordinator at Willis Tower, was the first recipient of the BOMA/ Chicago Foundation’s Reginald L. Ollie Inclusion and Outreach Scholarship from the LGBTQ+ community. The scholarship is designed to support professional development of an individual working in commercial real estate who is a member of historically underrepresented group.
Ayrika Ng, Director of Investments, was awarded the Developing Leader of the Year award by the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP) during its Annual Best of the Bay Awards in 2023. Among other activities with the organization, Ayrika helped create the ARGUS Certification Scholarship Program on behalf of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability Committee.
Photo Credit: Kirstine Walton, Organic Headshots
Photo Credit: Olivia Smartt, Olivia Smartt Photography
Gender Representation6
Racial and Ethnic Minority Representation8
Business Diversity for Economic Impact
Our conviction that diverse perspectives and experiences strengthen business and customer offerings also applies to vendor engagement. Our teams have increased the number of small businesses owned by women and members of racial and ethnic minorities within our vendor base. We maintain internal standards to facilitate inclusive hiring of vendors and regularly track and evaluate these engagements across our portfolio.
McFarlane Douglass: Elevating the Beauty of Willis Tower
McFarlane Douglass & Companies is a family-owned landscaping and commercial decorating company celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024. The certified minority business enterprise started small, delivering plants from the basement of its founder, Douglas Giebel. The company has serviced Willis Tower for two decades, providing interior plants, exterior landscaping, holiday decor and more. Among other projects in 2023, McFarlane Douglass provided winter wonderland installations in multiple lobbies and community spaces.
“We are humbled to have the opportunity to work at Willis Tower because it’s such an iconic building. We’re also grateful for the partnership with EQ. They view our displays as a gift to their tenants, which encourages us to be even more creative in our designs.”
Pamela McNamara
Vice President of Operations
McFarlane Douglass & Companies
Cookies With Tiffany: Welcoming the Community
When Tiffany Lewis launched Cookies with Tiffany during the COVID-19 pandemic, she was motivated by one mission: to bring people together through the nostalgia of a cookie. Now, Tiffany operates a regular pop-up location at U.S. Bank Center in Seattle, serving her warm, small-batch cookie creations.
As a woman-owned business, Tiffany believes the cookie is a metaphor for community, something meant to be cherished and shared with others, whatever their background. Cookies With Tiffany is also committed to using local ingredients when feasible, and to giving back through donations to local hospitals.
“I feel it’s my duty to bring people together, and EQ helps me do this by making such a beautiful space available. There is something so special about this building, including the team, and we have a common commitment to welcoming the community with an inviting and cheerful experience. I’m grateful to play a part in activating Cedar Hall, the building, and the downtown neighborhood through something that’s delicious, approachable and community-focused.”
Tiffany Lewis
Founder, Cookies With Tiffany
Evergreen Electric Supply: Supporting the Tenant Experience
Evergreen Electric Supply has provided lighting and electrical supply for about 10 years at Willis Tower, supporting building updates, new tenant spaces and retrofits. Evergreen also maintains the building’s LED lighting, ballast and electrical supply, including fixtures, occupancy sensors and other systems. In 2023, the certified women-owned business played a central role in the Willis Tower 33rd floor tenant lounge renovation, a challenging project in a building that dates to 1973.
“Since my mother started this business in 1986 selling fuses and batteries, lighting and its technologies have evolved so much that lighting is now central to any workspace. It’s unique and personal. We are grateful for the chance to shine on the Willis Tower stage and respond to whatever this flagship property needs.”
Colleen Kramer President & Owner, Evergreen Supply
Heath and Wellness Support
Our property teams foster wellness through building management, benefits, events and other forums as a top priority.
WELL Health-Safety Rating (HSR) Operations
We continue to pursue WELL HSR certifications, a safety rating for facility operations and management. The certification is third-party-verified, informed by the WELL Building Standard. In 2023, we earned the WELL HSR certification at 19 properties in key markets, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.
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19 PROPERTIES
WELL HSR CERTIFICATIONS
at the property level and 34 at the building level, covering 15.9m+ square feet
In 2023: onsite and virtual fitness classes were held for employees and tenants ~1,500
covering 21.8m+ square feet, included a fitness center 9
100% of properties offer healthy eating options on site 78% of properties have common areas that offer social and community interaction 100% of properties are less than 1,000 meters from public transportation 97%
of properties with air quality testing had results meeting ASHRAE10 Standard 62.1 (2019) limits11
Fitness and Exercise
We manage on-site gyms throughout most of our portfolio and subsidize gym memberships and fitness classes for our employees and customers. In 2023, we increased our offering with 35% more fitness classes than in the prior year,12 which reflects increased tenant engagement and office attendance. Some of our properties also offer outdoor greenspace for gatherings and community-based wellness programming.
Wellable
We continue partnering with Wellable to provide health and wellness solutions across our portfolio. The platform offers personalized wellness programs and virtual and in-person sessions for meditation, yoga, Pilates, boxing and bootcamps. In 2023, more than 1,000 people participated in virtual sessions across 25 properties.
Air Quality Management
Our property teams proactively monitor indoor air quality and conduct regular testing, aligned with WELL HSR’s test for temperature, relative humidity, total volatile organic compounds, ozone, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers. Additionally, many of our properties have installed Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) filters of level 13 or higher to filter particulate matter and ensure compliance with air quality standards and recommendations from ASHRAE.
Photo credit: Hannah Rankin, Hannah Rankin Photography