The UK property business is not known as the most diverse of professions, with several real estate executives caught up at the Presidents Club debacle earlier this year.
The industry has also arguably taken far longer than others to take steps to help their staff feel more confident to be themselves at work.
But one way it can overhaul this stale image is by engaging “allies” to support minorities such as lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender staff, according to diversity heads and LGBT property professionals.
Claire England, diversity and inclusion director at JLL, explains that every year her company asks several members of staff to volunteer as allies to support the LGBT community.
“You won’t drive progress unless you get the majority engaged. They can take the time to engage in the LBGT community and understand the issues – and they can be vocal on the topics and on the importance of supporting LGBT.”
JLL has more than 100 allies out of 1,800 staff in London.
Guarding against passivity
However, England warns that it is important to be clear about the role of an ally or they can be too passive. “One of the key challenges is giving an ally a role and making it clear what they can actually do. Being visible is one thing but it is still potentially a little bit passive.”
She adds: “Allies may think they have a lot to do, but just come along to an event, engage with the Building Pride network and, believe it or not, you have done your bit.”
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Meanwhile, Antonia Belcher, a founding member of building consultancy Mellersh & Harding, has been “out” as a trans woman for eight years.
On the importance of allies, she says: “My business partners are my greatest allies. We left the business we jointly worked at before to form MHBC and they are straight white males who completely understand that it doesn’t matter if you are gay or trans – it is about the skills you have, and the person you are. I feel I can say that would be said and expressed by all at MHBC too.”
At British Land, Paul Macey, property finance director and founder and co-chair of BL Pride (which launched in 2015), admits that one of the main challenges is to convince the majority to be “really visible” with their support.
He says: “One of the challenges is to show people that this is an environment in which you can be yourself. We want people in our organisation being really visible with their support and this is not something we have cracked.”
Role models
Another issue is that many LGBT employees do not feel confident enough to be “out” at work. According to research by Stonewall, published earlier this year, nearly one in five (18%) lesbian, gay and bi people are not open with anyone at work about their sexual orientation.
As a result, companies need to support and promote those that are, says Kelly Canterford, senior surveyor at JLL [main pic]. Canterford is competing in Pride Boxing on 6 July to raise money for Pride in London.
She says: “We need more role models, more people coming out and more people realising how important the role of an ally is (across all diversity strands).
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“As a company, we have progressed this, with senior allies driving the message forward and giving others confidence to grow. There is lots of influence from the top down.
“I think I am fairly unique as I came into property naively 14 years ago and I was ‘out’ from day one. I had been closeted in another industry which caused me health issues and I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again. Attitudes have changed immensely. People took me for who I was and it is an open conversation now.
Belcher adds: “Since 2010 I have had my head firmly above the parapet, being loud and proud about being trans. You need people to be more trans aware. All I can say is, ‘Look I’ve gone through this, I’ve done it, and just because we work in construction and property it does not need to be a bar’.”
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