The property sector has been patting itself on the back for cottoning on to the fact that it needs to embrace diversity in the workplace. And while the number of real estate businesses featuring in a list of Britain’s 100 most gay-friendly workplaces has more than doubled in two years, the numbers are thoroughly disappointing.
Just nine firms – less than 10% – made it on to lesbian, gay and bisexual charity Stonewall’s list. Those that did largely included housing associations or public-sector groups such as Affinity Sutton and Tower Hamlets Homes.
Not one of the major agencies or REITs was featured. Speaking out about a lack of diversity is all well and good, but where is the action?
Stonewall and LGBT property networking forum Freehold have this week set some of the biggest real estate players the task of making bigger strides to turn around an old-fashioned mentality within 12 months.
David Mann, co-founder of Freehold and partner at Tuffin Ferraby Taylor, says: “Our challenge for the industry is to get a developer, propco or one of the large agents on the top 100 list in 2016. Freehold is here to help in any way we can.”
Chris Edwards, group manager at Stonewall, agrees.
“I would welcome submissions from all of the big five [agents] next year,” he says.
To make the Stonewall list, members need to complete a Workplace Equality Index that measures 10 criteria, including employee policy, training and career development.
While membership at Freehold is growing – it now stands at 650 – the property industry still has the reputation of being “male, pale and slightly stale”, explains Brian Bickell, the openly gay chief executive of West End landlord Shaftesbury.
“People are getting more involved in boosting diversity,” he says. “Freehold’s events, which are being sponsored by the more enlightened agents and REITs, including CBRE, JLL and British Land, as well as the RICS, are an opportunity for people to come together and spread the word that different sexual preferences are not something to shy away from in the workforce.”
Its growth potential is clear – the group hosted its first event outside London last year in Birmingham. More regional events are on the agenda for 2015.
Some agents are taking the right kind of steps, with JLL introducing an in-house forum called Building Pride.
Misa Von Tunzelman, JLL’s lead director, marketing and communications, who is bisexual, says the LGBT network allows staff to connect across the business and links in with Freehold and Stonewall.
The group helps employees to feel comfortable regardless of their sexual orientation, according to Von Tunzelman.
“It has enabled me to be much more open at work,” she says. “If you can be honest with colleagues about who you are, it makes it much easier to build good working relationships.”
But while the likes of Savills, Cluttons and Deloitte Real Estate have signed up to
industry diversity campaigns and joined Stonewall, they
are still noticeably absent from the list.
Real changes to business practice need to be implemented for them to be as highly commended as companies such as developer L&Q, which did make the top 100.
L&Q says it has updated staff and family-friendly policies to make sure they include LGBT-specific language, and has supported its LGBT employee group Spectrum by including information about the group in all joiners’ starter packs and mentioning it specifically in induction training.
Furthermore, L&Q wants to make itself known as a modern company to those who do not work in real estate.
It has reworked all standard tenancy agreements to make it explicit that succession policies apply to civil partners as well as married couples. Gay and lesbian residents are also now shown in the firm’s marketing material.
“The property industry has more work to do but there are already a number of companies taking a strong lead in this area, and I look forward to seeing others following their lead and building on their success,” says Melanie Leech, the British Property Federation’s new chief executive.
Shaftesbury’s Bickell says that the “male, pale and slightly stale” stereotype is weakening, but not at a rapid pace.
“I still worry that some LGBT people are deterred from the property sector, but it is getting better,” he says.
So, the challenge has been set for 2016. But it is up to real estate businesses to make sure they are not just getting better, but progressing dramatically in making the workplace more diverse in 2015.
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