Diversity and inclusion, equality and fairness have always been important to EG. We started to become more vocal around the subject several years ago, helping to highlight issues around and awareness of LGBTQ people in the industry and attempting to tackle – head on – the lack of visibility of women in the real estate industry.
Then, just a couple of months ago we, like so many others, were forced to take a hard look at ourselves in light of the brutal and senseless killing of George Floyd. As people started to talk about systemic and institutional racism we had to face up to the uncomfortable truth that this industry was far from immune and neither was EG.
But we knew that we could not – and should not – go on this journey alone. If we really want to not just make D&I, equality and fairness important to us, but take real, tangible, transformative action, we needed a collective effort.
Which is why EG is very proud to announce the establishment of its Diversity & Inclusion Content Advisory Panel. A group of straight-talking, smart and informed individuals spread across the built environment and reflecting a wide-ranging, under-represented group in real estate today.
The group will not only help make sure that the content EG delivers stands up to a rigorous set of principles but it will work alongside the industry to help it on its journey to true diversity, inclusion, equality and fairness.
Each one of us can make a difference, but together we can make change.
Hanna Osundina, senior development manager, Balfour Beatty, and founder of Black Women in Real Estate
“Real estate, as an industry, is far reaching and touches the lives of every type of person. As an industry, we therefore have a responsibility to be reflective of the communities that we impact and ultimately serve. There are many ways in which our industry falls short of this responsibility, but we can start by addressing the issue of under-representation of the profession’s diversity in our professional media outlets, panels and at the senior levels of our businesses.
“EG is seeking to change this by making its outlet truly representative and has created a D&I Content Advisory Panel to assist with this change. I am excited to be one of the panel members and look forward to working with EG to advocate for true representation. By advertising the existing diversity within our profession and promoting different perspectives, I hope to encourage an inclusive future workforce and inspire much-needed innovation within the built environment.”
Kaela Fenn-Smith, head of UK advisory and transaction investor service, CBRE, and former managing director of Real Estate Balance
“Our work within the built environment touches the lives of every single person in our communities yet as a sector, we do not reflect all those we serve. Media is the window into our industry and if we are going to focus on socio-economic diversity, grow our Black, Asian and ethnic minority populations, create a gender-balanced sector and provide inclusiveness and equality for all, our property press needs to be welcoming, provide diverse thought leadership and be unbiased in its reporting and views. As a Canadian, I hope I will bring a different perspective to the group so we can collectively challenge the way our industry has done things in the past and open minds to an improved future. I feel honoured to be a part of this committee to help it achieve its goals and to join forces with all those on the same journey.”
David Mann, partner, TFT, and co-founder of Freehold
“I will be representing Freehold on the committee and ensuring issues faced by them are highlighted so that the industry can try to address them. We need to attract and retain talented entrants to the communities we serve. This is now a prerequisite for many in the property sector and many clients are insisting that their supply chain has the same values as them. Through the panel I also hope to support the creation of role models to demonstrate that the industry is welcoming and accepting of LGBT+ people and the disclosure of their own sexual orientation, promote trans awareness and non-binary inclusion to improve the understanding that sexual orientation is a spectrum rather than orthodox binary reference, and to highlight mindfulness for LGBT+ people to help reduce suicide, mental health problems and build self-confidence. Ultimately, we aim to achieve a future where discrimination is eradicated and identifying as LGBT+ is a non-issue.”
Ghislaine Halpenny, director of strategy and external Affairs, British Property Federation
“Equality, diversity and inclusion should be at the heart of the places that we create – providing places for everyone to thrive – and this should be reflected by the people that make up our industry. However, our often negative reputation of homogeneity precedes us, and all too often is well deserved. We cannot expect to recruit the brightest and best when only fishing in the same pools, and we cannot expect to build or design the best with ideas from teams with one set of lived experiences.
“The content advisory panel is a great opportunity to help Sam and the team to break the mould, and to ensure that we celebrate and improve diversity across the industry by providing both challenge and encouragement to transform the status quo.”
Joanne McNamara, head of Europe, Oxford Properties
“A diverse workforce helps build a solid team structure; this enables stronger and better results. I truly believe in this statement, and I am passionate to help spread the message of the importance of diversity and inclusion across the real estate industry. EG is a key platform to help communicate how fundamentally important this is to the business, with our aim to allow the next generation to work in a thriving, powerful and diverse industry. Pathways to Property is an excellent example of this movement and I am a keen supporter and sponsor in the programme.
“Oxford Properties believes in the importance of an open, accepting and collaborative environment for our colleagues and the way we do business. This is now the time for action across the industry.”
Bola Abisogun OBE, founder, DiverseCity Surveyors
“The business case for diversity has been unequivocally established, noting that a thriving, innovative and inclusive profession benefits everyone, both current and future practitioners. Committed to sharing my own sector expertise, through the lens of a talented and highly qualified chartered surveyor, my key objective for joining the EG D&I Content Advisory Panel is to promote diversity of thought from a unique, lived experience.
“My well-documented successes in the ED&I space, have been underpinned by my passion for all things leading to ‘friendly disruption’ in the board room and, elsewhere, procedural displacement of ‘existing / old’ business models via increased PropTech and ConTech. The latter will afford me an opportunity to project a professional view that is not only designed to ‘move the dial’ towards a more diverse perspective, but also deftly interject lateral thinking and proffer a more representative voice that resonates with a much wider EG readership.”
Emma Cariaga, joint head of Canada Water development, British Land
“It’s great to see EG shining a bright light on itself and the industry’s D&I progress. I am delighted to join its D&I Content Advisory Panel and keep the team’s feet close to the fire. Although all aspects of the D&I rainbow are important, my particular contribution will be focused on the diversity of the young people that we encourage into our industry. We have made some progress but there is huge scope to do better and I am determined to find our nirvana nextgen community that can make this good industry ‘great’.”
Priya Shah, founder & director, BAME in Property
“As founder and director of BAME in Property, an organisation promoting more ethnic diversity in the built environment sector, I hope to bring to the EG D&I content panel the views, stories and concerns of my members. We are so influenced by what we read in the media, that it’s important to publish as many diverse views as possible, to ensure that what we are sharing, promoting and understanding is as representative as possible. Let’s change the narrative of property media – real estate is more than just bricks and mortar, it’s about diverse communities.”
Sue Brown, managing director, Real Estate Balance
“Since I became MD of Real Estate Balance at the beginning of April I have made it my mission to broaden our focus from addressing the gender balance in property to championing diversity and inclusion as a whole. The reasons are obvious. The issues often overlap, different campaigning groups benefit when there is synergy between us and the results for business are equally beneficial. Our industry still has a long way to go when it comes to D&I. We need to keep pushing the boundaries and we need influential groups to champion the cause. That is why I and Sam McClary launched REWIRE five years ago and why I am delighted to continue to serve on the panel as it moves in the same direction. EG has a strong voice. Let’s be heard.”
Julie Musesoglu, diversity & inclusion manager, Homes England
“The creation of EG’s D&I Content Advisory Panel is a great step forward. Amplifying the voices of underrepresented people within our industry is essential. Having visible role models that people can see themselves in is so important; and will help to attract diverse talent into the sector. We also need diversity of thought. If we only hear from the same types of people, we’ll always hear a similar point of view. If we want to ignite debate and challenge the status quo, we need to hear a variety of perspectives and diversity is central to that. I hope I can bring that same challenge and alternative way of thinking to the board and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Amanda Clack, head of strategic advisory, CBRE, and author of Managing Diversity & Inclusion in the Real Estate Sector
“I am hugely passionate about the great talent we have and can bring into this sector. All too often much of this talent remains hidden and fails to have a representative voice of the communities we are there to serve. By helping bring these voices forward through EG, together we will help change the dial to get a broader, more diverse and inclusive perspective, which in turn helps attract and retain the great talent that is out there. I am passionate that we be the change that we want to create.”
Dominic Wilson, proptech pioneer and founder
“Talent is evenly distributed but, unfortunately, opportunity is not. Equality of opportunity should be a primary societal objective anyway, but in business this should be an imperative. This isn’t just about representation; it is about performance. The data overwhelmingly demonstrates that diverse and inclusive teams produce better outcomes.
“I am excited to be part of the EG D&I Content Advisory Panel and our path ahead. Real estate is an industry which is a cornerstone in many markets and touches many people, both directly and indirectly. It is within its gift, therefore, to set an example and in doing so to make itself more accessible and attractive as a career path to future generations. There is crossover with the work being done in tech and I hope to be able to contribute this perspective to the group.”
Vivienne King, chief executive, Revo, former Real Estate Balance chair
“I hope to bring my experience from Real Estate Balance of making diversity and inclusion a critical business issue. This will drive real progress in our sector.”
To send feedback, e-mail samantha.mcclary@egi.co.uk or tweet @samanthamcclary or @estatesgazette
