A letter from Immediate Past Global Chair Owen D. Thomas and current ULI Global Chair Peter Ballon
We are proud to present ULI’s annual report for fiscal year 2021, which showcases the valuable work and meaningful impact made by our members and staff around the world.
The period covered by this report continued to be dominated by the ongoing impacts of the global pandemic. As we highlighted last year, ULI successfully pivoted to delivering our events and programs digitally and nearly all the impact showcased in this year’s report was achieved by members and staff working closely in partnership online. We would like to thank everyone involved for their focus, commitment, and dedication to deliver impact across our industry and in our communities. It is truly inspiring to see how much we are continuing to accomplish despite the obstacles we faced and we believe that the result will be a stronger and more resilient Institute.
This year was not just about contending with the effects of the pandemic. We also took the time to think longer-term and lay the foundations for ULI’s future growth and success. We rearticulated ULI’s purpose with the creation of a new mission statement – shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide – and augmented it by establishing new mission commitments – connect, inspire, lead.
We also provided a new impetus and focus for our mission by establishing three mission priorities: decarbonizing the real estate sector and accelerating our progress to net zero; educating the next generation of diverse real estate leaders; and increasing housing attainability in communities around the world. And of course, integral to all three priorities is our ongoing commitment and focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We invite you to explore this year’s annual report and celebrate your achievements as well as learn more about our other areas of work. Together we believe the mission statement, commitments, and priorities provide the cornerstones for ULI’s work in the years ahead. They will connect and inspire those of us who have been part of ULI for many years and they will help explain what we do to people coming across our Institute for the first time. They will focus our efforts and resources on where we can collectively make transformative impact and help us raise funds so that we can achieve even more. As we slowly emerge from the pandemic, we believe that ULI is perfectly placed to help the real estate sector and our communities adapt to the new world and continue to make our mark for generations to come.
We encourage you to use this an opportunity to re-engage or deepen your involvement in initiatives that you feel strongly about.
Peter Ballon Owen D. Thomas
ULI Global Chair Immediate Past ULI Global Chair