Global real estate agency Colliers’ Bristol office has become the latest signatory to the city’s Property Inclusion Charter, which supports and drives diversity and inclusion in the sector.
Founded by Karl Brown, a partner in the commercial property team in Clarke Willmott, the charter is the UK’s first city-wide property industry initiative of its kind. 
It was launched after research by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed just 3% of those working in the property sector came from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
Jo Edwards, head of the South West and South Wales at Colliers, pictured, said: “Colliers welcomes employees from all backgrounds, and diversity and inclusion is intrinsic to our culture.
“As part of this mission to build a diverse and balanced business, the Bristol office of Colliers has signed the Bristol Property Inclusion Charter so we can actively support its excellent work in addressing inequalities and bringing greater diversity to the property sector.” 
Colliers joins the Bristol offices of rivals such as Savills, Sanderson Weatherall, Lambert Smith Hampton, Cushman & Wakefield, Hartnell Taylor Cook and Avison Young, which have also signed the charter, as well as the likes of YTL Land Property UK, Bristol City Council and The Architecture Centre.
The move has been welcomed by Karl Brown, who said: “Since I launched the charter in November 2019 I’ve been really enthused by the positive response and support from Bristol’s property community.
“I’m absolutely delighted that Colliers’ Bristol office has become the latest signatory. They join a host of other major companies and firms which have signed up to work towards there being greater equality and diversity in the property sector in Bristol.
“It is a recognition that working towards better equality and diversity is not just good for wider society but benefits companies by having access to a more diverse range of talent.”
The work of achieving the charter’s objectives is supported by the Bristol Property Inclusion Commission, which has a committee of eight headed by Karl and includes Deborah Bryant-Pearson, associate director in the valuation & advisory services team in the Bristol office of Colliers.
More than 40 firms are now signatories to the charter and have pledged their support to creating a fully inclusive property industry and profession in Bristol. To find out more about the charter’s key aims click here
