The New York Stock Exchange invited representatives from the Nareit Leader in the Light Award winners to virtually ring The Closing Bell®, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, in celebration of their achievements in ESG and sustainability, and to recognize the 15th anniversary of the awards.
The bell ringer at the NYSE was Chris Taylor, Vice President, NYSE Listings and Services, and he was joined on screen for the live event by the following Nareit members:
- AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE: AVB) - Kevin O'Shea, EVP and Chief Financial Officer
- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR) - Aaron Binkley, Senior Director, Sustainability Programs
- Extra Space Storage, Inc. (NYSE: EXR) - Joseph Margolis, Chief Executive Officer
- Kilroy Realty Corporation (NYSE: KRC) - Michelle Ngo, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
- Prologis, Inc. (NYSE: PLD) - Edward Nekritz, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
- Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO) - Dan Egan, Senior Vice President, Energy and Sustainability
- Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR) - Debra Cafaro, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Nareit’s Sheldon Groner, Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations, and Fulya Kocak, Senior Vice President, ESG Issues also joined in the celebration.
The video of the bell ringing is available on the NYSE website, and was shared on social media following the event. The NYSE tweet had more than 3,000 video views, and the Nareit post on LinkedIn generated more than 2,500 views.
The NYSE ceremony capped off a day of special events to recognize the achievements of the Leader in the Light Award winners. Earlier that day, Nareit hosted a celebration of the Leader in the Light winners and led a conversation about their 2021 outlook on sustainability and ESG in the REIT industry. Read more about that event here.