COMMENT Each June, hundreds of professionals from across the UK property sector clip in and take to the roads for CBRE’s flagship charity event, the Great Property Bike Ride. More than just a scenic cycle through Surrey’s countryside, this event is a powerful symbol of how our industry can unite around a shared purpose – raising vital funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.
At CBRE, we believe that giving back is not a side project, it’s a core part of who we are. Through CBRE Cares, our internal program to engage employees through their time, talent and financial support, colleagues have logged over 14,000 volunteering hours in the past year alone. From tree planting with Trees for Cities and litter clearing with Surfers Against Sewage, to mentoring young people through Career Ready and trekking 26 miles for Alzheimer’s Society, our people are making a tangible difference in communities across the UK.
This commitment was recently recognised when CBRE was named ‘Pro Bono Company of the Year’ at the 2025 Better Society Awards. The award celebrates our strategic use of professional expertise to support over 70 charities, delivering more than £2m in pro bono services over the past decade. In 2024 alone, we saw a 55% increase in employee participation in pro bono initiatives, including a landmark project for Macmillan Cancer Support that unlocked £11m in projected savings.
Come together
The benefits of this work, however, extend far beyond the communities we serve. A growing body of research shows that volunteering and community engagement are not just good deeds, they’re good business.
A study by Pro Bono Economics, commissioned by the Royal Voluntary Service, found that volunteering by professionals and managers contributes at least £4.6bn to the UK economy each year. That’s an average productivity gain of £4,551 per volunteer. Volunteering was also found to be the only workplace wellbeing intervention that consistently improves employee mental health and engagement, outperforming other common initiatives like mindfulness apps or resilience training.
This is especially relevant in real estate, where success depends on collaboration, trust and long-term relationships. When our teams come together – whether cycling for a cause or mentoring the next generation – they build the kind of camaraderie and shared purpose that no away day or training session can replicate.
The Great Property Bike Ride exemplifies this. Last year, over 650 riders, from more than 250 businesses, took part. It’s a day of challenge and celebration, of pushing limits and pulling together. And it works: our partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society raised a record-breaking £550,000 in its first year.
We’ve also seen how these efforts ripple outward. Employees who engage in CSR activities, such as volunteering, report higher job satisfaction. The Education and Employers Report ‘The Value of Volunteering’ showed employees reported greater productivity at work due to volunteering and over a third said volunteering helped them apply for a more senior role. Clients increasingly want to work with partners who share their values. And in a competitive talent market, our commitment to community is clearly something that talent wants, especially with younger professionals who want their work to mean something.
Moving forward
Real estate is about more than buildings. It’s about people, places and potential. By investing in our communities, we’re not just fulfilling our social responsibilities – we’re strengthening the very foundations of our business.
So whether you’re planting trees, mentoring a student or pedalling up Box Hill, know this: you’re not just giving back. You’re moving us all forward.
Image: © Paul Harmer Photography
James Brandon, director of UK DEI and responsible business, CBRE
