The results of Real Estate Balance’s 2024 EDI survey paint a “fairly damning portrait” of gender balance in the industry, according to the membership organisation, which is working to improve equity, diversity and inclusion in the real estate sector.
The fifth edition of the survey, which polled 50 real estate organisations and nearly 800 property professionals, revealed that equality at board and executive levels had not shifted significantly since Real Estate Balance conducted its first survey nearly a decade ago.
The report discounts the idea that there are not enough women immediately below senior leadership level to develop and promote, as these parts of the industry – from support staff through to middle management – remain relatively gender balanced.
The survey also shows that in 2024, real estate was less ethnically diverse and more privileged than other industries, indicating there is still significant work to do in these areas.
When asked which EDI intervention they would most like to see more of in future, companies and employees agreed that incentivising inclusive behaviours was the most effective way forward.
The survey also found EDI was of high importance to male and female respondents and dissatisfaction with how companies deal with EDI issues was relatively low.
Sue Brown, managing director of Real Estate Balance, said: “It’s hard not to be disheartened by some of the results – particularly the gender balance at senior levels. It’s clear we’ve still got more work to do in this area and we need to keep at it. But we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that the lived experiences of people working in our industry, and the culture of the industry itself, has changed dramatically over the past 10 years.
“Recognising that gender remains a key and persistent challenge, in 2025 Real Estate Balance will be looking at ways to help identify and address the specific barriers preventing women, as well as those from minority groups, from crossing the gap between middle management and senior leadership levels.
“We wouldn’t be able to make any of the important progress we are without the critical data that the Real Estate Balance survey provides, so I’d like to extend a huge and heartfelt thank you to all the companies and employees who took part.”
