LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HCP (NYSE:HCP) was awarded the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) 2012 Healthcare Leader in the Light Award at NAREITs REITWorld 2012 Annual Convention in San Diego, California yesterday.

Each year, NAREIT's Leader in the Light program honors its member companies that have demonstrated superior portfolio-wide energy use practices and sustainability initiatives. HCP received the highest score among all healthcare REITs and real estate companies that comprised the healthcare sector in the 2012 competition. HCP has now received a NAREIT Leader in the Light award five times in the last six years, including the Innovator Award in 2011.

We are honored to receive this prestigious award for our continued sustainability efforts. Our commitment to sustainable energy practices increases the value of our Company and positively transforms our business, said Jay Flaherty, HCPs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Tom Klaritch, HCPs Executive Vice President Medical Office Properties and Chairman of its Sustainability Committee, added, We are committed to sustainability throughout our business. The support of HCPs Board of Directors, executive management and all employees is critical to the success of our sustainability program, and this award represents the results of our collective efforts.

I congratulate HCP and their dedicated team of professionals on winning the 2012 Leader in the Light award in the healthcare sector. Their sustained hard work and achievement in this area continues to be recognized, said Sheldon M. Groner, Executive Vice President, Finance & Operations of NAREIT. Mr. Groner continued, NAREITs Leader in the Light award program, which was created in 2005, has honored NAREIT member companies which have demonstrated superior and sustained energy use practices and sustainability initiatives. This year, NAREIT took a significant step forward toward further advancing our industrys involvement in this important dialogue; with our collaboration with the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Survey, which measures the environmental performance of property portfolios around the world and is backed by many of the worlds largest institutional investors.

About HCP

HCP, Inc. (HCP) is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests primarily in real estate serving the healthcare industry in the United States. The Company's portfolio of assets is diversified among five distinct sectors: senior housing, post-acute/skilled nursing, life science, medical office and hospitals. A publicly traded company since 1985, HCP: (i) was the first healthcare REIT selected to the S&P 500 index; (ii) has increased its dividend per share for 27 consecutive years; and (iii) is the only REIT included in the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index. For more information regarding HCP, visit the Company's website at www.hcpi.com.

HCP, Inc.
Timothy M. Schoen
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
562-733-5309

Source: HCP, Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2012