- To date, Pei Asset Management has supported and facilitated the achievement of the Biosafety Operations Seal for 12 of Pei’s portfolio assets, through the investments necessary to ensure compliance with all the protocols set out in Resolution 666 of April 2020.
- By the end of this year, certification of 24 properties is expected
- The good practices in implementing the protocols and measures adopted by Pei Asset Management have been shared and replicated across other of the vehicle’s assets.
Bogotá D.C., November 2020. Pei, the leading real estate investment vehicle in the country, managed by Pei Asset Management, remains committed to the well-being of Colombians. Recently, 12 of its properties obtained this Certification: the Jardín Plaza Cali, Jardín Plaza Cúcuta, and Plaza Central shopping centers, as well as other assets across different categories, such as City U, Torre CCI, Atrio Torre Norte, Capital Towers, Elemento, Deloitte, Centro Empresarial Metropolitano, Edificio World Business Port, and QBE Central De Seguros.
It is also important to note that, in Colombia, through Resolution 666 of April 2020, the National Government established the adoption of “the general biosafety protocol for all economic and social activities and sectors of public administration.” In this regard, since June 1, Pei’s assets were operating “normally,” thanks to the timely implementation of the health measures required by oversight entities.
It should be noted that, during the first week of August, Jardín Plaza Cali and Jardín Plaza Cúcuta were the first shopping centers in Latin America to obtain ICONTEC certification, demonstrating the proactive way PEI’s assets have responded to the pandemic, among other things directly contributing to the stabilization and subsequent recovery of the national economy.
This seal is awarded by the Colombian Institute for Technical Standards and Certification (Icontec), the entity that, following the situation, took on the task of validating biosafety protocols and creating a permanent brand certification with a Biosafety Operations Seal for various public and private organizations in the country. The certification is based on Decree 539 of April 13, 2020, from the Office of the President, which establishes biosafety measures to mitigate, prevent the spread of, and properly manage the pandemic.
It is important to note that the seal covers a one-year period, during which the implementation and systematic application of biosafety protocols aimed at minimizing the risk of coronavirus infection among our tenants, visitors, workers, and suppliers connected to the certified and supervised properties will be determined. Each property will also undergo a random, extraordinary assessment, determined according to the specific characteristics of the asset type, verifying compliance with each applicable point of the standard. In parallel, the relevant health authorities continue to carry out any audits they deem appropriate.
Iván Darío Parra, Asset Management Director at Pei Asset Management, said that “this seal gives all visitors, tenants, employees, and suppliers confidence and transparency regarding the full compliance with biosafety protocols at each of Pei’s portfolio assets. It should be noted that, since the start of the pandemic, Pei Asset Management, working alongside asset operators, has worked tirelessly to responsibly and comprehensively incorporate and verify the protocols and measures issued by the National Government, in favor of the health of Colombians.”
Before the end of this year, Pei Asset Management expects to achieve certification for a total of 24 Pei assets, and over the following six months, to continue certifying an even greater number of properties. In doing so, it will continue contributing to society’s well-being, creating physical spaces that benefit the community and safely support the growth of tenants and users within the framework of the ´new normal´.