Board Gender Diversity and Environmental Practice in Global REITs: Examining the Impact on Policies and Outcomes
The real estate sector has a significant impact on urban environments and carbon emissions. As demand for environmental sustainability grows, understanding factors driving real estate portfolios to adopt environmentally friendly policies becomes crucial. This study examines the impact of board gende...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Sustainable Real Estate |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19498276.2025.2519978 |
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| Summary: | The real estate sector has a significant impact on urban environments and carbon emissions. As demand for environmental sustainability grows, understanding factors driving real estate portfolios to adopt environmentally friendly policies becomes crucial. This study examines the impact of board gender diversity on environmental policy adoption and outcomes in global real estate investment trusts (REITs) from 2017 to 2023. Using a dataset of 375 REITs worldwide, we examine relationships between board gender diversity and environmental policies, including emissions reduction protocols, renewable energy use, waste reduction initiatives, and sustainability-linked compensation. We also investigate the impact of gender diversity on REITs' environmental performance, measured by greenhouse gas emissions intensity (emissions divided by revenue). Path analysis identifies direct and indirect mechanisms through which board gender diversity influences environmental outcomes. Our findings reveal significant positive associations between board gender diversity and environmental policy adoption in REITs. However, we observe limited evidence of gender diversity's impact on GHG emissions intensity reduction, suggesting that gender-diverse boards' environmental impact may be more nuanced and indirect. This study contributes to corporate governance and environmental sustainability literature by providing novel insights into the role of board gender diversity in shaping real estate portfolios' environmental policies and performance. |
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| ISSN: | 1949-8276 1949-8284 |