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Sign up10 CEO Commitments on equity, diversity and inclusion
Project / 04 December 2023
The Real Estate Balance 10 CEO Commitments on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are the start of an important journey, one which we want to invite you on...
Over 130 senior industry leaders have signed up already but with even greater support, we can ensure that property is an inclusive, diverse industry where everybody - regardless of their gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic background - is supported and encouraged to aim for the top.
They represent a shared consensus of our Board and the senior real estate leaders at the organisations which comprise Real Estate Balance and it is not possible to join our movement without agreeing to the Commitments.
They were launched in 2017 and most recently updated in 2023, and include snippets of suggested best practice which can be built upon through the detailed resources published on this website.
10 CEO Commitments on EDI
1. Lead change and empower people in your organisation to visibly demonstrate that equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are core to your culture.
How could this be achieved? Publish your CEO Commitments within your organisation and self-report to Real Estate Balance on your progress in achieving them on an annual basis.
A case study by Prologis
2. Gather, analyse and act upon your diversity data and regularly report progress, where possible, and contribute to the establishment of an industry benchmark by taking part in our Industry EDI Survey.
How could this be achieved? Engage your employees to maximise diversity data collection exercises in a way relevant to your size and location and share your workforce diversity data with Real Estate Balance by taking part in our biennial survey. Actively encourage your staff to take part in our research as individuals.
A case study by St Modwen
A case study by The Church Commissioners
3. Ensure a culture of understanding and respect where everyone feels safe to challenge bias, discrimination and inappropriate attitudes and behaviours whenever they witness them without fear of reprisal.
How could this be achieved? Consider providing training relating to EDI issues and biases for all alongside enhanced cultural learning and development opportunities for managers of people.
A case study by BPIC Network
4. Implement inclusive recruitment practices to improve the diversity of your workforce.
How could this be achieved? Value transferable skills and insist that a variety of protected characteristics and social backgrounds are represented in longlists, shortlists and on interview panels.
A case study by Schroders
5. Promote equitable pay and opportunities for professional development.
How could this be achieved? Report and publicise gender and ethnicity pay to the extent that it is possible to ensure fairness in remuneration and promotion opportunities. Consider applying the same lenses to the socioeconomic backgrounds of your workforce.
A case study by CMS
6. Only speak on panels and at events where organisers promote a diversity of voices.
How could this be achieved? Encourage your people to abide by this too and consider working with event and conference organisers to achieve a balanced representation of genders, ethnicities, other characteristics and social backgrounds in speakers and attendees.
A case study by Diversity Talks Real Estate
7. Commit to diversity and representation in your leadership team and senior managers.
How could this be achieved? Understand the diversity of your workforce and any gaps in representation. Adopt a fair and equitable approach to training, mentoring, sponsorship and stretch assignments. Link individual incentivisation to EDI progress.
Case studies by JLL and Avison Young
8. Encourage EDI throughout your organisation’s business relationships.
How could this be achieved? Find out what EDI means to those you do business with, use effective governance to determine how compliant they are with your principles and whether they are members of any EDI organisations when tendering or working with client teams. Monitor relationships to measure progress.
Case studies by Herbert Smith Freehills and Shepherd and Wedderburn
9. Establish channels for senior leaders to personally engage with and listen to the wider workforce to share different perspectives.
How could this be achieved? Consider introducing reverse mentoring by asking for volunteer junior mentors and highlight the EDI champions in your organisation in internal communications.
A case study by SEGRO
10. Promote EDI in any groups or communities you or your organisation are members of.
How could this be achieved? Use networking and speaking opportunities to learn EDI strategies and share best practices. Use your marketing and messaging to represent your organisation’s dedication to EDI to inspire others. Demonstrate your membership of Real Estate Balance and other EDI organisations.
A case study by Granger Reis
The following 133 leaders are delighted to have signed up to these Commitments and together with the Real Estate Balance Board Directors encourage others to follow:
Karen Alcock, Kanda Consulting; Edward Ali McQuilton, Granger Reis; Mark Allan, Landsec; Charles Allen, Fiera Real Estate; Jo Allen, Frogmore; Mark Allnutt, Greystar Europe Holdings Ltd; Bradley Andrews, SLR Consulting; Sara Bailey, Trowers & Hamlins; Richard Bains, Chancerygate; Doug Baird, New Street Consulting Group; William Beardmore- Grey, Knight Frank; Richard Bentley, Helaba; Ciaran Bird, CBRE; Emily Bohill, Bohill Partners Ltd; Louise Bonham, MAPP; Rob Bower, Montagu Evans; Anne Breen, Abrdn; Paul Burke, Maples Teesdale; Neil Cable, Fidelity International; Simon Carter, British Land; Gillian Carty, Shepherd and Wedderburn; Virgina Clegg, DAC Beachcroft; Shane Cleghorn, Taylor Wessing; Jason Constable, Barclays; Nick Cook, GLP Capital Partners; Simon Cooke, APAM ltd; Zena Couppey, Altum Group; Toby Courtauld, Great Portland Estates Ltd; Simon Cox, Walter Cooper; Graeme Craig, Places for London; Richard Croft, Martley Capital Group; Conrad Davies, Osborne Clarke LLP; Marcus Davies-Bateman, Cobalt Consulting; Benjamin Davis, Octopus Real Estate; Madeleine Davitt, Davitt Jones Bould; Deepa Deb, Watson, Farley & Williams LLP, Will Deeprose, Clyde & Co LLP; Joe De Leo, Pinebridge; Claire Dutch, Ashurst LLP; David Ebbrell, M7 Real Estate; Jane Edwarde, Slaughter & May; Oliver Fenn-Smith, The Portman Estate; Fiona Fletcher-Smith, L & Q; Nicola Free, Wells Fargo Bank International; James Garman, Goldman Sachs; Marc Gilbard, Moorfield Group; Ian Gleeson, CBRE Investment Managers; Helen Gordon, Grainger plc; Kate Hammar, Per Ardua; Yvette Hanson, TP Bennett; John Harcourt, Kajima Partnerships Ltd; Jessica Hardman, DWS; Ian Hawksworth, Shaftesbury Capital PLC; Mark Heighton, CMS; Robert Hill, Greater London Properties; Dean Hodcroft, Gen II; Tony Horrell, Colliers International; Lars Huber, Hines Europe Ltd; Bill Hughes, LGIM; Craig Hughes, PwC; Nigel Hugill, Urban&Civic; Stephanie Hyde, JLL; Alex Jeffrey, Savills Investment Management LLP; Nick Johnson, Tesco Property; Andrew Jones, LondonMetric Property plc; Gerald Kaye, Helical; Barney Kelham, BCCAP; Malcolm Kerr, DP9; Shobi Khan, Canary Wharf Group PLC; Mark Kildea, The Howard de Walden Estate; Vivienne King; Philip La Pierre, LaSalle; Dan Labbad, The Crown Estate; Stafford Lancaster, Delancey; Lloyd Lee, Yoo Capital; Adrian Levy, Clifford Chance; David Lunts, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation; David Matheson, Starwood; Lisa Mayhew, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner; James McCaffrey, Eastdil Secured; Joanne McNamara, Oxford Properties; Craig McWilliam, The Arch Company; Matt Merrick, IQSA Services; Lucy Minton, Kitt Offices; Gareth Mostyn, Church Commissioners; Ezra Nahome, Lambert Smith Hampton; William Naunton, DLA Piper; Lara Newman, LocatED; Alison Newton, Addleshaw Goddard; Krysto Nikolic, ICG; Dan Norris, Hogan Lovells; Scott Parsons, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield; Nicholas Pettit, Bidwells LLP; Lee Polisano, PLP Architecture; Simon Prichard, Gerald Eve LLP; Etienne Prongue, BNP Paribas; Andy Pyle, KPMG; James Raynor, Grosvenor; Andrew Reynolds, Rider Levett Bucknall; Andrea Ruckstuhl, Lendlease Europe; Mike Sales, Nuveen; Ben Sanderson, Aviva; James Saunders, Quintain; Dan Scanlon, Brookfield Properties UK; Chris Seaton, Burges Salmon; Sanjeev Sharma, M&G Real Estate; Gareth Sinnamon, Stace LLP; Neil Slater, Redevco; Michael Slattery, Logicor; David Sleath, SEGRO; Brian Sloggett, Newsteer Ltd; Tony Smedley, Heitman; Ian Sparkes, Sodexo; James Sparrow, Savills; Chris Taylor, Federated Hermes; Jess Tomlinson, Lloyds Banking; Group; Dave Trimingham, Turley; Caroline Turner-Inskip, Simmons & Simmons; Scott Tyler, Allsop; Sophie van Oosterom, Schroders; Pertti Vanhanen, Cromwell Property Group; Charlie Wade, VTS; Dan Wagerfield, Norton Rose Fulbright; Jeremy Walden, Herbert Smith Freehills; Nick Walkley, Avison Young; Paul Weston, Prologis; Damian Wild, ING Media; Rob Wilkinson, AEW Europe; Paul Williams, Derwent London; Colin Wilson, Cushman & Wakefield; Janet Young, Government Property Profession.
Sponsored by the Board of Real Estate Balance:
Jo Davis (Chair), Suzanne Avery, Sue Brown, Saira Choudhry, Simon Carter, Clarence Dixon, Michela Hancock, Andrea Ruckstuhl, Sheena Singla, and Claire Milton.