2022 Earth Day Newsletter

NEAL GERBER EISENBERG

EARTH DAY NEWSLETTER 2022 EDITION | APRIL 22, 2022

INVEST IN OUR PLANET The definition of Being Green in 2022 has undoubtedly evolved since the first Earth Day celebration in 1970 and perhaps doesn’t even mean the same thing it did a year ago.

Sustainability is no longer a purely altruistic principle. It serves as a guiding value for leaders to make sound business and financial decisions.

Today, all actors – whether they are businesses, governments, or individual citizens – are encouraged to invest in our planet in ways suitable to their lifestyles. We all need to be accounted for and held accountable to form the strongest possible partnership with our planet.

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IS A PROSPEROUS FUTURE. Here are a few reasons why investing in our planet is a sound business principal.

Did You Know: Studies have shown that the majority of companies with robust Environment Social Governance (ESG) policies and goals have both happier employees and increased profitability. Improved financial performance due to ESG becomes even more evident when analyzed over longer periods of time.

Clean energy jobs provide earnings at least 25% above the national median wage. They are more likely to include important employee health and retirement benefits while allowing individuals to obtain valuable skills for longer-term careers.

Gen Z and Millennial consumers are highly likely to make brand purchasing decisions based on social and environmental principles. A recent study reveals that 70% of Gen Z shoppers will pay more for a value-driven product.

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We recognize that implementing sound ESG practices at NGE is the right decision for our planet, the future health of our families, and the smart decision for the growth of our business. When those principles align, investing in our planet is a no-brainer. We are committed to prioritizing sustainability as a fundamental value at NGE.

Bobby Gerber, Managing Partner

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO INVEST IN OUR PLANET? Purchase from ecologically and socially responsible brands. Many retailers offer environmentally conscious product lines aimed at reducing waste and combatting climate change. Consider eco - friendly alternatives.

Donate to a local environmental group whose mission is to protect and conserve natural resources.

Shop your local farmers markets this spring and summer. Local foods generally travel a shorter distance to get to you, resulting in less pollution and less plastic waste.

Talk to your investment professionals about the extent to which your investment portfolio supports green initiatives and integrates an investment strategy that considers environmental factors.

Contribute to campaigns for local governmental officials who advocate for clean energy policies and legislation that supports environmentally friendly economic development.

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Achieved Gold Ranking for the ALISS Assessment The American Legal Industry Sustainabilty Standard assessment awards points for activities across five broad categories: Internal Sustainability, External Sustainability, Stakeholder Engagement, Measuring & Reporting, and Innovation, and aims to encourage firms to take action to further reduce their impact on the environment.

Sustainability is a key component in our corporate social responsibility initiatives, with a focus on developing ambitious and quantifiable environmental, social and governance standards.

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Sonia Menon, Chief Operating Officer

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Recognized for Leading Green Power by EPA We joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership. Through this partnership, we committed to buy 100% of our energy needs from green power sources.

Plastic Bag Drive We celebrated Earth Month by partnering with Clean Up – Give Back to participate in a communitywide Plastic Bag Drive. The plastic bags we collect during the drive will be upcycled to create a bench presented to the Cook County Forest Preserves in September 2022.

Park Clean Up ESG Investing We hosted a discussion on “ESG Investing – A Conversation on Impactful Investing,” where our panel, led by Corporate Partner Michael Gray, discussed the fundamental principles and framework of ESG investing, and shared their thoughts on current trends, the latest developments, and the future of impactful investing.

Our NGE Community volunteered with Clean Up - Give Back to pick up litter at the Schiller Woods Forest Preserve, where we successfully collected 390 pounds of trash and debris.

A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE EDITION Private Wealth Services Associate Kathryn Kaler recommends making swaps around the house to reduce waste: Stasher bags instead of one-use plastic bags, reusable coffee pods for instant coffee makers, wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets, and sustainable plant-based diapers.

Corporate Partner David Presser recommends doing away with printing entirely and using a reMarkable tablet.

Intellectual Property Associate Lee Stark recommends choosing home landscaping that requires less water, fertilizer, or pesticides: Eco-Grass from Prairie Moon Nursey, 100% recycled mulch from Chicago’s Bureau of Forestry, or native plants at Chicago-area nurseries Gethsemane Garden Center or Christy Webber Farm & Garden.

CLIENT CORNER | A SUSTAINABILITY DISCUSSION WITH MONTAGE INTERNATIONAL Montage International is a California-based luxury hotel and resort management company that features a distinctive collection of hospitality brands. Beth Radichel, Real Estate Partner, sat down with Jason Herthel, President and COO, of Montage International to discuss sustainability developments in the hospitality space.

The theme of Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in Our Planet,” encouraging all of us (businesses, governments and citizens) to find ways, in our differing capacities, to establish a greener and more prosperous future. What does “Invest in Our Planet” mean to Montage?

We at NGE recognize that, even though we’ve accomplished many of our green goals, we still have room for growth. What are some of Montage’s long-term sustainability goals or initiatives for 2022 (and beyond)?

One of our long-term sustainability goals and initiatives includes eliminating plastic water bottles and replacing them with aluminum water bottles by the end of the year.

This is currently being tested out at Montage Big Sky and Montage Healdsburg. Certain properties, such as Montage Los Cabos, have a goal to partner with brands from the Americas to reduce carbon footprints by the end of 2023 and partner with retail brands that are B-Corp certified or Ecocert certified by the end of 2024.

In 2022, Montage Healdsburg will be replacing all grass with alternative ground cover to further reduce water consumption. We look forward to continually improving all facets of our operations across the organization to achieve greater levels of sustainability.

Montage International believes that luxury and sustainability can coexist, and together they can flourish in lasting and powerful ways. At Montage International “Invest in Our Planet” means everything from working as a team to respect the environment, to promoting sustainability and wellness as a lifestyle for our guests and associates to sustainable purchasing initiatives and taking an active role in serving our community.

As individuals, we’ve all seen small ways that companies in the hospitality space have started to implement sustainability into the guest experience. What kinds of sustainability efforts has Montage implemented in recent years?

We are proud to share that we have achieved the Gold Seal for Hospitality from the Environmental Media Association across both the Montage and Pendry brands, and we are the first hospitality company to achieve this recognition. As part of our commitment to sustainability, we continue to work with our partners to benchmark our success through design, construction, operations and community involvement through Hearts of Montage and Hearts of Pendry, programs dedicated to volunteering time, expertise and financial assistance to organizations that help empower people and causes in need.

Montage Los Cabos is taking an active part in being the first LEEDcertified Community in Mexico as part of the Twin Dolphin Development.

At the start of 2022, Montage Los Cabos created Compass Center on-the-go Off-Road Café with only biodegradable products in mind.

Currently, the resort is 95% complete with migrating to biodegradable products in all outlets.

TWO NORTH LASALLE STREET, SUITE 1700 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60602

Montage Palmetto Bluff is also home to the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy, a nonprofit founded in 2003 with a mission of protecting the environmental integrity to ensure the stewardship of the land.

Conservation easements, delineation and protection of wetlands, and maintenance of food plots for wildlife, are among the ways the land is protected.

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