More than two dozen firms from across the built environment have been highlighted as exemplars when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Hundreds of respondents to EG’s most recent LGBTQ+ in Real Estate – Attitudes and Actions survey listed a total of 27 firms spanning the legal, advisory, consultant, construction and developer community that they believed provided a positive example of how to be an inclusive employer.
Just 9% of respondents said they did not believe that any firm across the built environment was exemplary when it came to LGBTQ+ inclusivity, while 41% said the sector did provide exemplary employers.
The 27 firms praised for promoting inclusivity across their businesses and the sector were:
- Aecom
- Arcades
- Arup
- BCLP
- British Land
- Cast Interiors
- CBRE
- Crown Estate
- Deloitte
- E Surv
- Grosvenor
- JLL
- Laing O’Rourke
- Landsec
- Lendlease
- LLDC
- Mace
- Mishcon de Reya
- Pinsent Masons
- R&R
- RICS
- Ridge & Partners
- Savills
- Shaftesbury
- Sir Robert McAlpine
- Taylor Wessing
- TFT
Although the list of firms singled out as promoting inclusivity across their businesses is clearly not enough to ensure the sector as a whole is a welcoming place for anyone regardless of their sexuality, it does start to provide a library of firms that others can turn to for best practice.
Among the agents, CBRE, JLL and Savills were mentioned repeatedly as leading the way, with new internal policies and an emphasis on providing training and changing culture highlighted.
“JLL positively promotes inclusivity on a very regular basis and has set up various groups to support and attend events,” said one respondent.
“Savills has very visible diversity and inclusion groups, which are included and emphasised as part of new joiner training and ongoing training within the organisation,” said another.
Property companies including British Land, Landsec and Shaftesbury were highlighted numerous times too, with Shaftesbury boss Brian Bickell named as a very visible role model.
In the legal profession – a part of the industry which always comes out as one of the most inclusive in EG’s surveys – BCLP and Pinsent Masons got multiple mentions as exemplars.
Inclusivity is now recognised widely as a vital piece of a company’s arsenal if it wants to win in the war for talent. Almost three-quarters of respondents said they actively looked for and prioritised companies that were visibly LGBTQ+ inclusive when applying for jobs.
Increasing numbers of respondents are also seeing positive change across the industry. Some 78.7% of respondents felt that LGBTQ+ employees were being supported by managers and senior managers, with 80% saying they believed that their workplace provided a safe space for LGBTQ+ people.
More than seven out of 10 respondents said they would recommend the real estate sector to members of the LGBTQ+ community as a welcoming place to work.
“Property is a fantastic industry to be involved in,” said one respondent. “Change is slow but if we don’t encourage LGBTQ+ people to join the industry then nothing will ever change.”
“A career in real estate can be extremely rewarding,” added another. “For anyone with some interest in the built environment there is an infinite number of things the industry can offer. It is also a profession relatively behind others, but I am hopeful it will get better.”
To read more about the survey and access the results in full visit EG LGBTQ+ survey highlights exemplars across real estate
To send feedback, e-mail samantha.mcclary@eg.co.uk or tweet @samanthamcclary or @EGPropertyNews
