Sustainable investing in real assets

As a steward of global timberland, agriculture, and real estate assets, we strive to create long-term value for our clients while generating positive environmental impacts and contributions to the communities in which we operate.

Integration

We believe that identifying and assessing sustainability factors will help position us to provide long-term value for our clients. Across our timberland, agriculture, and real estate investments, sustainability is an integral part of our investment process.


Our stewardship approach focuses on three core thematic considerations—climate, nature, and people

Climate

We believe climate-related risks are a systemic threat to financial, societal, and environmental stability—but with risks come opportunities. Carbon-focused investors and asset managers are driving global efforts toward shared action while seeking opportunities to meet both financial and sustainability goals.

Learn more about how investing in forests and farms can provide opportunities for climate impact

Nearly 2.1 million metric tons of C02 removed annually

over the past five years through our managed forests and farms

Nearly 6.1 million metric tons of forest carbon credits sold

by our timberland management group since 1985

Nearly 35,600 MWh of renewable energy

purchased in 2022

Source: Manulife Investment Management, as of December 31, 2022. Please refer to the 2022 real assets sustainable investing report for details. 

Nature

We view the decline of nature and biodiversity as a systemic risk—but many of our real asset investments serve as natural climate solutions and may act as a first line of defense for protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Our vast natural resource holdings leave us well positioned in our sector to promote their use, and our real estate assets are managed to support our nature and biodiversity goals.

Explore our in-depth look at the nature-positive ecosystem

100%

of our managed global forests1 and our U.S. farmland2 is certified sustainable

98%

of our farms follow regenerative soil health practices3

157 of our real estate properties

are meeting our SBS nature and biodiversity minimum requirements

Source: Manulife Investment Management, as of December 31, 2022. Please refer to the 2022 real assets sustainable investing report for details. 

1 100% of our forests were certified under either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and some of our forests in Australia and New Zealand carry dual FSC and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) accreditation. As a condition of certification, forests must have management plans, including consideration of biodiversity. 2 Certification is by Leading Harvest and is based on an annual assessment of the conformation to its Farmland Management Standard. Most current data is shown. 3 Includes farms employing one or more of the following practices: conservation tillage or no till, cover vegetation/crop, crop residues, crop rotation, intercropping, nonproductive vegetation, rotational grazing, and soil amendment. 

People

We believe real assets can provide opportunities to tackle socio-environmental challenges and strengthen communities. Real estate can offer community engagement and safe, healthy buildings, and farmland and timberland deliver raw materials that meet basic human needs alongside rural employment opportunities, recreational open spaces, and clean water resources.

5 million

acres of our land are open for public access4

29%

of our timberland and agriculture business staff are women

Nearly 29%

of our real estate leadership team is racially and ethnically diverse5

Source: Manulife Investment Management, as of December 31, 2022. Please refer to the 2022 real assets sustainable investing report for details. 

Access of any type, including by permit, exclusive recreation lease, or open public access. Racially and ethnically diverse percent is for U.S.- and Canada-domiciled employees/staff only. Data is based on 312 full-time equivalent staff.

Collaboration

We work collaboratively with industry peers to amplify our collective impact, develop new industrywide sustainability and reporting standards and drive best practices.

Source: Manulife Investment Management, as of December 31, 2022. All logos are registered trademarks of the respective organizations/firms represented. Manulife Investment Management is prompting each of the ESG actions shown through becoming a member of the respective programs or a partner with the organizations on these endeavors.

Transparency

We report on the outcomes of our sustainable investing efforts and support the adoption of industrywide standards for disclosure, including the framework outlined by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).

Looking ahead

We believe that sustainable real asset management can generate value over the long-term—for investors and our global communities. We're working to:

Grow our investments in nature-based climate solutions 

by offering innovative products that meet clients' climate-related goals

Improve sustainability standards

by building on Leading Harvest farmland certification in the United States and Australia and expanding into Canada and Chile

Build strong relationships

by continuing to collaborate with property management partners to ensure we're executing our sustainability goals together

 

Our impact: sustainable investing case studies

We believe active ownership practices are at the center of good stewardship, helping drive strong risk-adjusted investment return potential for our clients over time while we seek to make a positive impact on the environment and society. 

Learn more

Related viewpoints

Enhancing farmland value through sustainable improvements

Sustainable agriculture can promote healthier and more diverse farmland ecosystems while aiming to enhance efficiency and profitability.
Read more

How real assets provide real solutions: investing sustainably for a better world

Investments in real assets are valued for providing diversification benefits, inflation protection, and stable yield—they also have the potential to be part of the solution to some of our most urgent global challenges.
Read more

Healthy buildings: an extension of good management

Seemingly overnight, having a healthy building is no longer optional, it's become expected—and for good reason. For the real estate industry, centering decision-making on buildings that prioritize people may create significant value for landlords, tenants, developers, and investors alike. Uncover why.
Read more

View our full library of research

Real asset investments

Our real asset capabilities in infrastructure, real estate, timberland, and agriculture can provide stable yields and diversification while enabling environmental benefits, enhancing value, and targeting above-market rate returns.

Learn more

3476741