To celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, which takes place today (8 March), BE News is running a series of interviews with inspirational women who work across the built environment sector
Name: Alice Jardine
Title: ESG executive, Stanhope
What I do: I am responsible for delivering social value across our portfolio of developments. I work with our design, construction and property partners to ensure that the places we create are making a positive socio-economic impact on the communities in which they are located.
Why I got into the property industry: I loved the idea of being part of an industry that shapes the world around us – working in London is especially inspiring and I’ve always been fascinated by the stories behind our iconic buildings.
How I did it: I haven’t had a traditional route into ESG – I started off in weddings and events, then was a PA at Stanhope, before working my way up to head of customer care at Television Centre, looking after the residents of our luxury apartments. Once all the apartments were handed over, I knew I wanted to continue working with people in a property context and joined the ESG team in charge of social value. Whilst my career journey to date has covered a variety of roles, my love of communicating with people has been the core of my success throughout.
My first proper job: Wedding planner in a castle.
My first big break: Getting to join the Television Centre team was my first real step into the industry – whilst I didn’t have property experience, the MD saw that my customer facing skills from organising hundreds of weddings would transfer well to the equally high-pressure job of handing over people’s dream homes. Stanhope took a chance on me and saw my potential, and it’s been an exciting upward journey from there.
My inspiration(s): My female friends – I’m so lucky to be surrounded by strong, smart, funny and kind women who are fantastic advocates for themselves in the workplace and lift others up with them. They are my biggest cheerleaders, and I marvel at the amazing work they do.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: When I became head of customer care at Television Centre, I was responsible for the handover of hundreds of luxury apartments and the understandably high standards of the residents. I didn’t have a background in property so had a real baptism of fire learning about defects, snagging, leaks, light fixtures and everything in between. I had to teach myself a lot of technical information and absorbed everything I could from my construction colleagues, all whilst keeping our customers happy. Truly the most challenging role of my career but also the most exciting.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: Just recently, achieving my masters in sustainable cities from Kings. Studying while working full-time was really challenging but I learnt so much and was able to apply my studies to live projects in real time, making for an incredible holistic learning experience. Walking across the stage to collect my degree I felt immensely proud of the journey I’ve been on so far.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That it’s all about buildings – in reality it’s about people, and making places where human connection happens – offices, homes, coffee shops, parks, hotels. You’re creating the environment around us and leaving a legacy behind.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: We have to do more to open up career pathways for people from a wide range of backgrounds – the property industry still has a reputation for being quite posh and quite blokey, and I would love to see the industry welcoming people from different socio-economic backgrounds as well as non-traditional career paths. We’re doing lots of great work to improve this but there’s a way to go.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: Diversity of our teams means diversity of thought, and that is vital in making sure we are being the most innovative and successful we can be. You want your teams to reflect the diversity of the places that you are working in, so that you can create the best product possible for them. It isn’t about box ticking, it’s about doing what we can do mitigate inequality and see a stronger, more vibrant community as a result.
Why I’m so passionate about ESG: I think the property industry has a vital role to play in making the world a better place. Where you live, work and play and how this impacts the planet is something that is relevant to everyone, and it’s heartening to see ESG become an integral part of the way we do business. We only have one planet, and it’s our responsibility to make a positive impact in any way we can.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: Creating long lasting and impactful positive change in communities through social value initiatives, and inspiring others to do the same.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Olivia Colman because she’s delightful, Nigella Lawson to do the cooking, and my late mum who was the life and soul of every dinner party.
What I do in my downtime: My favourite thing in the world is going out to dinner – talking and laughing with loved ones over a bottle of wine and some delicious food is what life is all about.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: In another life I would still be in the wedding and events industry – I love meeting new people and helping them celebrate the best day of their lives!
My advice for someone just starting out: Learn as much as you can from senior colleague you admire – they will teach you everything you need to know about how to manage people, problem solve and recognise your strengths.
My motto/mantra: Life is short, so don’t wait to do the thing you’re dreaming of.
Why is IWD important to you?: I think it’s vital to celebrate the success of women and how far we have come in the battle for equality, whilst recognising the ongoing challenges and additional burdens faced by women in the workplace and elsewhere. I’ve been so inspired by my fellow women in the industry, becoming experts in their field whilst navigating family and home life, overcoming stereotypes and providing new perspectives. IWD is a fantastic opportunity to tell these stories, the good and the bad, to promote awareness and help each other be successful.
