L&G launches ground breaking digital occupier engagement platform

Legal & General Investment Management

12 November 2021

L&G launches ground breaking digital occupier engagement platform

London, 12 November 2021 - LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General) announces the launch of a digital business-to-business platform, Vizta, to directly support its occupiers and accelerate its strategy to re-frame the role of the real estate owner.

Vizta by Legal & General is aimed at the people or teams responsible for managing leased property within occupier organisations. The platform gives access to real-time property and portfolio management, alongside the ability to work more closely with Legal & General, providing an offering beyond bricks and mortar.

Legal & General has long recognised the need for greater collaboration and alignment between owner and occupier, from SME's to large multi-national businesses. The launch of Vizta represents a significant step forward in delivering on this strategy, removing barriers to engage directly with Legal & General, and providing a platform to share best practice and encourage collaboration across the office, retail, and industrial sectors. Vizta will be deployed to over 3,000 leases, incorporating over 4,000 users and covering more than 20m sq ft across the UK over the next 12 months.

Bolstering LGIM Real Assets journey to net zero, Vizta highlights the essential role that occupier engagement will play in the transition to a low carbon economy. Real estate owners and operators must build stronger relationships with their occupiers to educate and drive action; the way buildings are used plays a pivotal role in net zero, and therefore, greater collaboration is fundamental to effect change. Vizta will be key in facilitating this through offering direct access to asset management and property management teams providing on demand support and best practice, as well as delivering a one-stop- shop for all finance and sustainability data. The platform will open up Legal & General's extensive partner network for occupiers to access support for their business, with services ranging from air quality measurement, cleaning or maintenance tasks, plus technical specialists to support energy efficiency initiatives.

Vizta is powered by Ility, a no-code platform, enabling Legal & General complete control over its technology, operations, and offer.

Mark Tyson, Head of Property Operations for LGIM Real Assets, said: "The launch of Vizta gives us the invaluable ability to fully support and better serve our occupiers. Working as a partner with our occupiers will prove to be critical in achieving our Net Zero Carbon commitments.

Occupier feedback from the first phase of the roll-out has been incredibly positive, with recognition that we are moving to be a 'true property partner'. For the first time, occupiers can benefit from our wider asset management expertise, economies of scale and investment in technology to help them deliver their individual strategy."

Bill Hughes, Head of LGIM Real Assets, commented:

"Vizta is a game changer that will transform the way we engage with our occupiers. We recognise there is a need, across the real estate sector, to re-position and re-engage the relationship of owner and occupier. This launch represents a significant step forward for LGIM Real Assets in doing so, signalling our proactive approach to asset management. We are driving collaboration at scale, which is key in ensuring our portfolio is fit for the future."

Vizta complements LGIM Real Assets' Mercury Model, which has been established over the last two years, as well as its implementation of bespoke building level apps. These initiatives help to support building users' day-to-day experiences through direct access to the on-site team, events, and local offers from retailers. LGIM Real Assets will be launching new building apps in November at Temple Point in Bristol, 245 Hammersmith Road and The Aircraft Factory both in Hammersmith, Apex in Reading and Goldsworth Place in Woking.

Ends

Notes to editors

About Legal & General

Established in 1836, Legal & General is one of the UK's leading financial services groups and a major global investor, with international businesses in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia. With almost £1.3 trillion in total assets under management*, we are the UK's largest investment manager for corporate pension schemes and a UK market leader in pension risk transfer, alternative asset origination, life insurance, workplace pensions and retirement income. Through inclusive capitalism, we aim to build a better society by investing in long-term assets that benefit everyone.

* at 30 June 2021

About Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets (LGIMRA)

LGIMRA is a division of Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), one of Europe's largest institutional asset managers and a major global investor. LGIM manages £1.3 trillion in assets*, working with a range of global clients, including pension schemes, sovereign wealth funds, fund distributors and retail investors.

LGIM Real Assets has assets under management of £35.6 billion* and is one of the largest private markets investment managers in the UK. Investing in both debt and equity and across the risk/return spectrum, LGIM Real Assets actively invests in and manages assets across commercial, operational and residential property sectors, as well as infrastructure, real estate, corporate and alternative debt.

Taking a long-term view in order to future proof our investments, LGIM Real Assets continues to lead the industry in ESG performance, considering all environmental, social and governance issues at asset level as well as portfolio level. In 2021, we are implementing a strategy as part of our commitment to net zero carbon emissions across the real estate equity business by 2050 and have also committed to measuring social value across 20% of our platform by the end of the year.

* at 30 June 2021

Further information

Name: LGIM PR Team

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