Environmental, Social & Governance Policies
First Communities takes a collaborative approach to incorporating ESG principles. As a third-party management company, our Leadership works to listen to our clients, associates and residents to work together to promote a better living experience and invest in neighborhoods where our communities are located.
First Communities has established partnerships to be able to manage and evaluate energy efficiency and create sustainable communities through relationships with our clients. This approach is driven in the following ways:
Reducing energy usage by connecting clients with partners to install Energy Star appliances
Improving energy efficiency by energy retrofitting, for water and electricity, to existing buildings
Incorporating energy management resources in common areas and apartment homes, such as LED lighting
Community Outreach
At the core of First Communities is our commitment to community outreach. The Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) and First Communities have a long-standing relationship that began with our Founder, Rob Johnston, collecting canned food for those in need in his community. The Atlanta Community Food Bank distributed over 60 million pounds of food across 29 north Georgia counties in 2020. Currently, Mitch Harrison, CEO and President of First Communities, serves on the Board for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. First Communities also partners with food assistance programs outside of Atlanta through Feed America.
In addition to community outreach, First Communities prioritizes social issues by:
Establishing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion focus group inclusive of associates in all positions across the organization
Hosting resident events to promote an environment that creates a micro-community at each asset
Offering free ways to pay rent for our residents through technology
Participating in discussions through national and local apartment associations with key stakeholders on housing challenges, needs and trends