Impact investments catalyze efforts to mitigate the effects
of climate change and achieve a more sustainable future
CHICAGO, June 21,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- JLL Foundation, a non-profit
founded and backed by JLL (NYSE: JLL), today published its
inaugural Annual Report, recapping its activities for 2022 as an
impact investor focused on climate change and the built
environment.
In its first year of operation, JLL Foundation partnered with 15
entrepreneurial companies to further their mission of mitigating
the impact of climate change. All 15 companies are actively
reducing greenhouse gas emissions: 53% are reducing waste; 40% are
decarbonizing the building sector; 33% are reducing water
consumption, and 33% are making a social impact. Beyond climate
change mitigation, these companies are building a clean economy,
creating green jobs and construction, transforming food, packaging
and agricultural systems, and innovating tech to measure impact and
drive change.
Early-stage companies frequently run out of money in between
funding cycles, either because the government funding process is
too slow or venture capitalists see too much risk or not enough
potential return. JLL Foundation takes a non-traditional approach
to funding by providing zero-interest loans, grounded in the belief
that small amounts of funding make a big difference to early-stage
companies.
Since receiving loans, companies have been able to accelerate
climate-positive business timelines and goals to achieve tangible
results. The loans granted to startups and early-stage companies in
2022 have also been influential in helping recipients secure
additional funding from for-profit companies and other
foundations.
"As impact investors, we have helped these companies survive and
thrive by deploying catalytic capital and through their association
with the JLL brand," said Trish
Maxson, JLL Foundation Chair. "By reinvesting returned
funds, we are building a sustainable model that benefits all
stakeholders."
The Foundation's mission closely aligns with JLL's guiding
principles for shaping a better world, which encompass climate
action, healthy spaces and inclusive places.
"We created the JLL Foundation to closely align with our purpose
of shaping the future of real estate for a better world, with a
particular focus on supporting new ideas to mitigate the harmful
effects of climate change," said Christian
Ulbrich, JLL CEO. "The JLL Foundation is now actively
demonstrating the critical value of carefully targeted impact
investment early in the life cycle of inspirational new business
models. It is fantastic to see the rapid progress being made
by these 15 invested companies."
The impact of the Foundation's loans varies based on the needs
of each company. For instance, 15Rock, a climate risk management
and advisory services firm was able to secure additional funding to
complete an eight-month project in two weeks. Additionally, Kubik,
a plastic-reducing technology company, accelerated its timeline
toward establishing its first factory in Ethiopia, and Re:Dish, a reusables program
that eliminates single-use disposables, was able to expand beyond
the pilot stage and open the doors to other Fortune 500 companies
as potential clients.
Ashley Etling, co-founder and CEO
of retail packaging innovator LimeLoop states, "The JLL Foundation
loan has been a great accelerator for us. JLL Foundation has built
a community of people to elevate missions that genuinely do good in
the world. It's a great role model for other foundations."
Read the inaugural JLL Foundation Annual Report here.
About JLL Foundation
JLL Foundation is dedicated to
impacting climate change now and in the future. A non-profit
founded and backed by JLL, one of the largest global real estate
companies with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability, JLL
Foundation's goal is to be a catalyst for climate-impacting
startups. For further information, visit foundation.jll.com.
About JLL
For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a
leading global commercial real estate and investment management
company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest
in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and
retail properties. A Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of
$20.9 billion and operations in over
80 countries around the world, our more than 103,000 employees
bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise.
Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a
better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A
BRIGHTER WAYSM. JLL is the brand name, and a registered
trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further
information, visit ir.jll.com.
Contact: Gayle Kantro
Phone: + 1 312 228 2795
Email: gayle.kantro@jll.com
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SOURCE JLL-IR