American Rights Education Fund honors Gerding Edlen Development for partnering with workers and their unions to create family-supporting jobs, facilitate job training, and foster collaboration while building cutting-edge, environmentally sustainable projects.

Gerding Edlen Development, Inc.’s business model is an inspiring example of how labor and business can partner to create environmentally and economically sustainable communities. The commercial real estate developer and investment firm is a pioneer in the green building industry. Gerding Edlen relies on skilled union workers as it revitalizes communities, furthers innovation, and creates good jobs.

Gerding Edlen is nationally known for its green, mixed-use, urban development projects, and has developed more LEED certified green buildings than any other private firm in the country. The firm sees its highly-trained, union workforce as key to its success. As CEO Mark Edlen says: “Union workers bring the skill set, creativity, and workplace safety the company needs to execute such complex projects: that’s why Gerding Edlen uses union labor.”

Gerding Edlen’s commitment makes a big difference for its workers.  Union contractors, like those used by the company, can earn up to three times the average wage of a non-union worker, as well as receive fair benefits, in return for their skill and expertise.  Unions working with the company praise Gerding Edlen for respecting workers’ rights and valuing what union members bring to the table. The company fosters collaboration in brainstorming and planning sessions at the beginning of each development project, working closely with many building trades unions, including but not limited to LIUNA, UBC, IBT, UA, IBEW and SMWIA, to get workers’ input into the project plan.

Unions see the value in investing in a company that invests in its workers. Through their pensions and other funds, numerous unions have invested in projects developed by Gerding Edlen, and currently are investors in the firm’s green real estate fund that seeks to retrofit and develop sustainable buildings. This partnership has served to bring much needed capital to potential projects that revitalize cities, reduce carbon emissions, and create thousands of jobs extending beyond the initial construction. Gerding Edlen is proving that working with unions facilitates mutual rewards, environmental stewardship, and a successful business model.