JLL Foundation is dedicated to impacting climate change now and in the future
A non-profit founded and backed by JLL, one of the largest global real estate companies with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability, JLL Foundation is a catalyst for climate-impacting startups.
Meet the startups
Beyond mitigating greenhouse gases and reducing the use of fossil fuels, these innovators are building a clean economy, creating green jobs and construction, transforming food, packaging and agricultural systems, and innovating technology to measure impact and drive change. They are creating impact around the world.
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Leveraging raw material surplus of Kenyan avocados for locally-led value added processing and production of avocado products
Growing minerals for portland cement and concrete to create carbon-negative biogenic limestone
Manufacturing recyclable, carbon negative composite building materials using renewable energy.
Combines pure plant and mineral ingredients to create “botanical cements” in woman-developed formulations.
Creating a solar-based EV charging station and utility vehicle networks in African cities.
Facilitates green transition by enabling a more complete recovery of copper using a renewable energy alternative to smelting.
Manufacturing affordable, silica-based insulation aerogels to decarbonize buildings and transport
Producing tree- free paper, packaging and fertilizer products crafted from agricultural waste
How we invest in your success
We take a non-traditional approach to impact investing, providing zero-interest loans that enable startups to grow and thrive. Returned funds are reinvested into JLL Foundation.
We work in partnership with Good Machine, a venture studio with an extensive network of startups, investors and foundations engaged in climate change mitigation.
Meet the people who make it happen – click images to read more
Operations
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Erin Meezan
Erin joined JLL as CSO in September 2022 from Interface Inc., the global flooring manufacturer and renowned sustainability pioneer. As CSO for Interface, she was the key architect in creating the company’s latest mission Climate Take Back and the framework for its implementation that led to Interface’s carbon negative products launched in 2020. Under Erin’s leadership, Interface achieved early success of it’s sustainability mission to have zero environmental impact by 2020. Erin also led the company to achieve carbon neutrality across all of its product lines and led the effort for Interface to achieve carbon neutrality across its full enterprise announced in 2022. Erin is a recognized sustainable business advisor and frequent lecturer on sustainable business to senior management teams, universities and business audiences around the world. Her most recent TED video released this year discusses what nature can teach us on sustainable business. She’s a key character in the awarded Beyond Zero Documentary, by filmmaker Nathan Harvey that details the story of corporate transformation.
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Riina Hynninen
Since joining JLL in 2013, Riina has held various roles in global corporate sustainability, including managing data for corporate ESG reporting, aligning technology tools and sustainability ambitions, and leading JLL’s global community engagement program. Before JLL, Riina was an Environment Officer in the UN Development Programme’s Egypt country office in Cairo. Funded by the Finnish Foreign Ministry, the role involved facilitating environmental projects, including coordinating a socioeconomic climate change impact study on Egypt under a UN Joint Programme on Climate Change Risk Reduction. Riina holds a BA in Development Studies and South-East Asian Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and an MSc in Environmental Monitoring, Modelling and Management from King’s College London.
Board of Directors
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Trish Maxson
Trish Maxson was instrumental in establishing the JLL Foundation and was appointed Chair at its inception in 2021. She was formerly Chief Administrative Officer at JLL where she oversaw human resources, legal, audit and procurement teams as well as corporate real estate and sustainability commitments. As part of JLL’s Global Executive Board, Trish was focused on JLL’s efficiencies throughout the business. She joined JLL in 2012, bringing with her a wide variety of leadership experience. Prior to JLL, she worked for Merck & Co., and Rohm and Haas Co. and before that, in a diverse set of roles that have stretched from the lab to the board room. Trish started her professional life as a chemist.
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Laura Adams
Since joining JLL in 2004, Laura has held successive leadership positions across the HR organization. She has extensive experience aligning people programs to business strategy and driving large-scale business transformations, and she is a passionate advocate for employee well-being and inclusion. Prior to becoming chief HR officer, Laura served as the HR Lead for JLL’s global Markets, Capital Markets and Work Dynamics business lines. Laura is a member of JLL’s Global Executive Board, which shapes and delivers the company’s strategic direction. Prior to JLL, Laura was an HR business partner for Washington Mutual Bank and held various HR roles at Diamond Technology Partners, a global digital consulting firm. Laura holds a degree in sociology from Eastern Michigan University and a M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.
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Richard Bloxam
Since joining JLL in 1994, Richard has worked across the Capital Markets business and held leadership roles throughout Europe including in Poland, Hungary and Austria. He was appointed Global CEO, Capital Markets at JLL in January 2017, with responsibility for how the firm helps investors and real estate owners develop and execute investment strategies. In recent years, Richard’s focus has been driving the Capital Market’s business line technology transformation, the diversification of its capital solution offering and the successful integration of the HFF acquisition. Richard is a member of JLL’s Global Executive Board and global sponsor for JLL’s research and insights capabilities. He has studied at the University of Exeter, London South Bank University, and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
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Mark Gabbay
Mark Gabbay is CEO of LaSalle, a position he assumed in January 2021. He is responsible for strategic leadership of LaSalle’s 900+ employees and oversight of the firm’s USD75 billion of assets, including investment strategy and operational activities across North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. Mark joined LaSalle in 2010 as Chief Investment Officer for Asia Pacific. In 2015, he became CEO of the region, in addition to his CIO oversight, and maintained overall responsibility for formulating and implementing LaSalle’s investment strategy across Asia Pacific, sourcing opportunities and overseeing the investment process. Mark has been in the commercial real estate and investment industries for more than 25 years, working in the Asia Pacific region for the past 20 years and the United States for six previously.
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Yishai Lerner
Yishai joined JLL in 2017 as Co-CEO of JLL Spark, the strategic venture fund investing in proptech startups. From 2019 to 2024 he was Co-CEO of JLL Technologies, a division to align and expand JLL’s technology products and services. After an early career building artificial intelligence for video games at Activision Studios, Yishai co-founded Mob.ly, which was later sold to Groupon. He has since angel invested and advised many startups, including Uber and Boom Supersonic. Yishai is a member of the JLL Global Executive Board.
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Neil Murray
Neil has been working with workplaces and real estate since 1998, where he led various leadership roles around the world. He currently serves as Global CEO of Work Dynamics at JLL, having previously joined as EMEA CEO, Work Dynamics (formerly Corporate Solutions) in 2017. Neil revitalized the business line under Work Dynamics nomenclature to distinguish its focus on leveraging data to build, manage and improve spaces that can transform how people work. A member of JLL’s Global Executive Board, he is also the global sponsor for JLL’s corporate Client Advisory Board as well as serving on the Boards of Chicago chapter of Ireland Funds and United Way of Metro Chicago. Neil holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Trinity College in Dublin.
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Andy Poppink
Andy joined JLL during the acquisition of The Staubach Company in 2008. Andy has been Global CEO, Markets Advisory at JLL since July 2023. He is responsible for developing JLL’s Global Markets Advisory strategy in partnership with regional, country and local market leaders and collaborating across business lines. Prior to this, Andy served as CEO, EMEA Markets Advisory. Andy’s career in commercial real estate spans more than two decades. Before embarking on a career in real estate, he was a professional athlete. He is a member of JLL’s Global Executive Board. He attended Stanford University where he graduated with a BA in Economics, and an MA in Organizational Design.
*Investment Committee member
Get in touch
Are you a startup at an early stage that provides lasting, positive climate impact?
Do you also have a diverse team or ownership structure? Does your innovative approach scale to other countries around the world? Or are you an impact investor looking to co-fund climate solutions? If some of this describes you, let’s talk.
Get in touch