CBRE has become one of the first property industry signatories of the Race at Work Charter in the UK.

The Charter, developed jointly by the UK Government and Business in the Community (BITC), sets out a number of principles and actions that businesses are asked to publicly commit to, aimed at helping to tackle ethnic disparities in the workplace.

The charter builds on the work of the 2017 McGregor-Smith Review, ‘Race in the workplace’, which found that people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups were still underemployed, underpromoted and under-represented at senior levels. So far, more than 190 public, private and charitable organisations have signed up to the Charter.

In 2018, CBRE was the first property services provider to achieve the National Equality Standard (NES) accreditation, which is the independent assessment of a company’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) competencies. Becoming a signatory to the Race at Work Charter is a further demonstration of CBRE’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

CBRE has appointed Richard Dakin, a member of the UK Management and Strategy Board, as its Executive Sponsor for Race, providing visible senior leadership on race and ethnicity in the organisation. Richard Dakin commented: “Our strength and competitive advantage lie in leveraging all aspects of differences in our workforces, from diverse backgrounds to skills and working styles.

“We are committed to making CBRE as ethnically representative as the clients and communities we serve, and I am thrilled that we have signed up to the Race at Work Charter. This gives us an extra impetus to have open conversations about race, and another means of tracking our progress towards tackling ethnic disparities in the workplace.”

Sandra Kerr OBE, Race Equality Director at Business in the Community, said, “We would like to thank CBRE UK Ltd. for setting out their commitment to be an inclusive and responsible employer. By signing up to the charter they are showing that they aspire to have one of the most inclusive workplaces in the country. Together we can break down barriers in the workplace, raise the aspirations and achievements of talented individuals, and deliver an enormous boost to the long-term economic position of the UK.”

Jake Hobson, Diversity, Inclusion and Responsible Business Manager, CBRE UK, said: “Signing the charter gives a clear signal to our people, our clients and the industry that race equality matters to us as a business. This is a continuing process, and alongside our other diversity and inclusion initiatives, the Race at Work Charter provides us with a clear set of actions to work towards.”