Employees who have been toiling at home during the pandemic have been lured back to offices with new furniture, catered meals and other amenities. At Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, more staff are coming back to workplaces that have about 50,000 bees on-site.
The real estate investment trust that launched a rooftop beehive program at several of its retail hubs last year said it is adding three more sites as part of an increased commitment to sustainability.
It's working with a company that helps make properties stand out on an environmental basis — with beehives.
The Greensboro, North Carolina-based owner of all or part of 36 open-air outlet centers in 20 states and Canada said it's installing beehives this spring at centers in Glendale, Arizona; Locust Grove, Georgia; and Washington, Pennsylvania. When the latest additions are complete, Tanger expects to have beehives atop 10 of its outlet centers.
Its partnership with beekeeping company Alvéole already has created some buzz after they installed seven hives at centers in Texas, New York, New Jersey and Maryland in the U.S. as well as Ottawa in Canada.
Tanger Outlets Chief Operating Officer Leslie Swanson said the REIT recognizes that it has a "responsibility to contribute to a greener, more sustainable environment."
Tanger is working with the communities where it operates and offering its shoppers the chance to join Tanger in its efforts. The REIT's properties with rooftop beehives will host beekeeping workshops that focus on the importance of pollinators to the environment.
Last week, the REIT hosted its virtual "Bee Amazing Workshop" that featured a Tanger beekeeper who taught participants more about what the bees do and their impact on the environment.
Alvéole, a Montreal-based urban beekeeping company, has major plans of its own as it works to expand into a dozen cities in Canada and the U.S., as well as five in Europe, as landlords get creative with ways to lure workers back to the office by making their properties stand out.
The company plans to install beehives on the grounds and rooftops of buildings, with each hive containing about 50,000 bees. It's part of Tanger's plan to greatly expand its environmental and sustainability platform this year, including tree planting and added electrical vehicle charging stations.