Dawn of a new Era - Are you Ready?

Commercial Real Estate Industry Launches new DEI council to disrupt status quo

TORONTO, June 17, 2021 /CNW/ - Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have become top-of-mind issues in society and the workplace. Due to extensive news coverage and hashtags such as #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, #LoveisLove and more, DEI is more relevant than ever before.

The state of diversity, equity and inclusion in workplaces is at a crossroads and CREED (Commercial Real Estate Equity and Diversity) Council, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, believes the time is now for the commercial real estate industry to take meaningful action.

What do these terms mean? Diversity promotes representation amongst all communities and challenges evidence of homogeneity in the workforce. Inclusion is diversity in action - the conscious action and behaviour to accept, recognize and include. Equity means creating structures that remove bias and barriers that prevent part of the workforce from achieving their deserved career objectives and goals.

"While some organizations may have had deep and powerful conversations about these issues, there has been a lack of resources providing guidance on how to achieve these goals," says CREED visionary leader, Chandran Fernando of Matrix360 Inc.

That's why CREED Council has developed a Playbook, The Evolution of Workplaces: Building a Culture of Excellence, a practical guide for change that leaders can follow to enhance and evolve their workplaces. It establishes a business case for integrating diversity and equity in the workplace, provides tips and guidance for developing a DEI strategy, and offers advice for improving a company's Talent Management System, including the importance of education and continuous learning.

Following up on the Playbook's release, CREED will be raising DEI awareness with a TV news show-style virtual event at 4 pm on June 17, 2021. Audience members can 'tune in' to a Youtube Premiere link to watch a panel discussion with Commercial Real Estate leaders including Sonny Kalsi, CEO BentallGreenOak; Andrea Del Zotto, Director and executive Vice President Tridel; Pino Di Mascio, Head of Impact Strategy and Delivery  at Dream; Sunita Mahant, Head of Global Initiatives and Sr. Director of Ivanhoe Cambridge and moderated by Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Sr. Advisor EDI Initiatives and Adjunct Lecturer at Queen's University, as they explore the challenges that exist currently and steps needed to make positive, actionable changes. The show can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUY8C_bSvIU&ab_channel=CREEDCouncil.

The event will also feature a Stereotype and Beliefs exercise to show what happens when people judge a book by its cover, a live and interactive panel discussion and CRE leaders will be invited to reflect on their personal experiences in the industry, such as if they felt welcomed, respected and heard.

Recognizing that education will be an integral tool in achieving DEI goals, CREED is launching a website for learning and can recommend professionals for learning and development. https://equitymatters.ca/.

While the Canadian workplace is more diverse than at any point in its history, diverse representation is commonly found at the bottom of the hierarchy.  Organizations continue to lag behind when it comes to diversity in positions of influence and power at the senior leadership level.

"As our communities become more and more diverse, it is imperative that we look within our companies to ensure that the insights that inform our work represent the communities that we serve. This only starts with a strong, diverse talent pool," says Leona Savoie, CREED co-founder and Senior Vice President, Development, Hullmark.

Consider some of the following data from the CRED industry: Less than 14 per cent of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) groups are in C-suite positions; less than 34 percent of people who identify as women are in senior, executive or C-suite positions; less than 5 per cent of those employed in commercial real estate identify as members of the LGBTQ2S+ community; less than 1 per cent of those employed in commercial real estate identify as persons with disabilities.

"We believe leaders need to recognize and prioritize the value of diversity in order to be competitive and retain stakeholders' engagement," says Fernando. "At CREED, we want to act as a catalyst to initiate change through measurable programs. Through the Playbook and other initiatives, we can help commercial real estate leaders take action by following our tips and guidance for developing their own diversity and equity strategies in their workplaces."

About CREED:

CREED Council is a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on developing resources, tools, programs and services for designing diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) workplaces in the commercial real estate industry. CREED was started in 2018 as a collective movement with the intent to evolve the real estate industry and workplace across Canada. It includes more than 50 commercial real estate and development professionals represent diverse voices from all levels of leadership and intersecting identities in the industry.

SOURCE CREED Council