Cousins Properties Incorporated : 2020 ESG Report

Getting Back to the Office

Cousins Properties 2020 ESG Report

1	Cousins Properties 2020 ESG Report	A Message from our CEO	Overview	Environmental Sustainability	Social Sustainability	Governance Sustainability	Building Certifications	GRI Index

Since 1958, we have recognized that a commitment to thoughtful and

responsible operations, with a sustainable model that values corporate social

responsibility, creates meaningful value for all stakeholders.

On the Cover: Cousins property management team at Buckhead Plaza, Atlanta, Georgia

2	Cousins Properties 2020 ESG Report	A Message from our CEO	Overview	Environmental Sustainability	Social Sustainability	Governance Sustainability	Building Certifications	GRI Index

Disclaimer

This ESG Report contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and are subject to uncertainties and risks, as itemized in Item 1A included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021, and June 30, 2021. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, information concerning our sustainability strategies and objectives, including projected cost savings, water usage, waste, energy consumption, building certifications, development and redevelopment activity, our goals and activities related to social and governance matters, including diversity and engagement, and, other forward-looking data. Any forward-looking statements are based upon management's beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance, initiatives and priorities, taking into account information that is currently available. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations may change as a result of possible events or factors, not all of which are known. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary from forward-looking statements due to, but not limited to, the following: the availability and terms of capital; the ability to refinance or repay indebtedness as it matures; the failure of purchase, sale, or other contracts to ultimately close; the failure to achieve anticipated benefits from acquisitions, investments, or dispositions; the potential dilutive effect of common stock or operating partnership unit issuances; the availability of buyers and pricing with respect to the disposition of assets; changes in national and local economic conditions, the real estate industry, and the commercial real estate markets in which we operate, particularly in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Phoenix, Tampa, Dallas, and Nashville, where we have high concentrations of lease revenues, including the impact of high unemployment, volatility in the public equity and debt markets, and international economic and other conditions; the impact of a public health crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and the governmental and third-party response to such a crisis, which may affect our key personnel, our major customers, and the costs of operating our assets; the impact of social distancing, sheltering-in-place, border closings, travel restrictions, remote work requirements, and similar governmental and private measures taken to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and our customers; changes to our strategy with regard to land and other non-core holdings that may require impairment losses to be recognized; leasing risks, including the ability to obtain new customers or renew expiring customers, the ability to lease newly developed and/or recently acquired space, the failure of a customer to occupy leased space, and the risk of declining leasing rates; changes in the needs of our customers brought about by the desire for co-working arrangements, trends toward utilizing less office space per employee, and

the effect of telecommuting; any adverse change in the financial condition of one or more of our customers; volatility in interest rates and insurance rates; competition from other developers or investors; the risks associated with real estate developments (such as zoning approval, receipt of required permits, construction delays, cost overruns, and leasing risk); cyber security breaches; changes in senior management, changes in the Board of Directors, and the loss of key personnel; the potential liability for uninsured losses, condemnation, or environmental issues; the potential liability for a failure to meet regulatory requirements; the financial condition and liquidity

of, or disputes with, joint venture partners; any failure to comply with debt covenants under credit agreements; any failure to continue to qualify for taxation as a real estate investment trust (REIT) and meet regulatory requirements; potential changes to state, local, or federal regulations applicable to our business; material changes in the rates, or the ability to pay, dividends on common shares or other securities; potential changes to the tax laws impacting REITs and real estate in general; and those additional risks and factors discussed in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by the Company. The words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "plans," "may," "intend," "will," or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such plans, intentions, or expectations will be achieved. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of future events, new information, or otherwise, except as required under U.S. federal securities laws.

3	Cousins Properties 2020 ESG Report	A Message from our CEO	Overview	Environmental Sustainability	Social Sustainability	Governance Sustainability	Building Certifications	GRI Index

1. Message from our CEO

Across all areas of our business and in each of our markets, 2020 was an extraordinary year. While we are starting to see signs

of hope with the promise that vaccines offer, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived swiftly and transformed our industry, communities, and country.

At Cousins, the health and safety of our customers and our employees are always our top priorities, and I am so proud of our dedicated team that ably navigated the pandemic while consistently providing our customers with the same excellent service they expect from us every day. As I often say to our team: crises don't build character, they reveal character.

We were well prepared to weather challenging times with a simple, yet compelling strategy that enabled us to operate effectively throughout the year and into 2021. Cousins creates value for our shareholders through ownership of the premier office portfolio in the leading Sun Belt markets of Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte,

Phoenix, Tampa, and Dallas. Cousins entered the Nashville market in

2021. While COVID-19 presented challenges to the commercial real estate sector, we have remained true to our values, which includes a commitment to the responsible stewardship of environmental, social, and governance risks.

Last year, the Company issued its second Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report. Our ESG initiatives are at the foundation of what we do and how we operate our business. Cousins is committed to developing and acquiring high-quality assets, operating them responsibly, and seizing innovative improvements wherever possible.

As outlined in this report, we are also committed to fostering an inclusive culture that embraces diversity. We prioritize having a workforce that reflects the diversity of qualified talent in the markets in which we operate.

Since Cousins' founding, we have also recognized the importance of giving back to the communities in which we live and work. We believe strong financial returns are driven by creating a positive impact in the communities in which we operate, and that will always be a critical part of our success. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, our team continued to give back to our communities in meaningful ways.

We are excited to share some of the highlights of this year's sustainability journey. At the same time, we are focused on the future and are working to enhance our record each year. I am so proud of our hardworking, talented, and flexible teams for their dedication and excellent work under the toughest circumstances as we grow the preeminent Sun Belt office REIT.

Colin Connolly

President and Chief Executive Officer

4	Cousins Properties 2020 ESG Report	A Message from our CEO	Overview	Environmental Sustainability	Social Sustainability	Governance Sustainability	Building Certifications	GRI Index

About this Report

We're pleased to present Cousins' 2020 Environmental, Social,

and Governance (ESG) report. We have integrated the values underlying key ESG principles into our Company from the start, and we are proud to strengthen our achievements each year. This year, we have highlighted many of our key performance indicators, including announcing our progress in like-for-like reductions.

The content of this report is informed by the materiality analysis described in the Our View of ESG section and through ongoing conversations with our stakeholders.

As further detailed at the end of this report, this report's approach, structure, and content are aligned with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards (Core). Data primarily relates to properties in our portfolio located in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Phoenix, Tampa, and Dallas.

Calculation methodologies are noted where relevant. Unless otherwise noted, all data is as of December 31, 2020. For questions or comments about this report, please contact [e-mail].

Charlotte, North Carolina