March 2022 | Celebrated globally on March 8th, International Women’s Day offers RealFoundations the opportunity to honor the successes of female leaders in real estate, as well as announce the active measures our firm is taking to promote the advancement of women in the workplace, support the DEI focus of our industry partners, and improve our practice of corporate social responsibility, furthering our mission to make real estate run better.
As a result of our direct focus on improving gender balance at RealFoundations, women now comprise 51% of our active employee population in North America and Europe, an increase of almost 10% over the last 5 years. In addition, 52% of promotions for this group during this timeframe have been female practitioners, including the elevation of Vycky Lara, Hope Dunleavy and Katie Tooker to senior leadership positions. These advancements, along with the recent addition of Jenny Hart, further support our desire for a more diverse and balanced leadership team.
We continue to develop and expand our female-driven professional networking initiative, Women at RealFoundations (WRF), which now includes 84 active members. WRF is a voluntary, employee-led consortium established to promote professional development, build presence and encourage mentorship among women at the firm. This executive-sponsored initiative provides female practitioners with a forum to expand real estate knowledge and capabilities, interact with key real estate stakeholders, and promote career advancement.
“Companies focused on diversity and inclusion have a greater effectiveness and more positive workplace experience, leading to higher performing teams, increased engagement and overall improved retention. We have learned a tremendous amount from the women within RealFoundations and our clients, and we understand we still have more progress to make. Our DEI strategy will continue to develop through 2022, allowing us to remain focused on expanding our ability to listen, learn and act.”
— Chris Shaida, CEO and Founder, RealFoundations
As a premier provider of services to real estate companies, RealFoundations maintains active memberships with leading industry organizations and participates in industry events that are heavily focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Our involvement with leading organizations such as NMHC, NAREIM, and CREW provides practitioners with the opportunity to engage in relevant meetings, committees, and programs that allow us to be active participants in the advancement of DEI principles within our industry.
RealFoundations’ commitment to empowering and supporting women extends beyond our real estate focus with annual contributions made to non-profit organizations including Agape Resource & Assistance Center in Plano, TX, which helps women overcome situational homelessness, as well as Gateway Domestic Violence Services in Denver, CO, which provides comprehensive services to adults and their children escaping domestic violence.
Connect with Us
For more information about careers at RealFoundations, contact our Global Head of Talent and Performance Tony Dodder by email or +1 646 825 7962.
About RealFoundations
RealFoundations is the world’s foremost professional services firm focused solely on the real estate industry. Through our delivery of Management Consulting and Managed Services, we help companies that develop, own, operate, service or invest in real estate make better, more profitable decisions. We are proud partners to over 450 real estate companies around the globe, providing accelerated solutions that solve some of real estate’s most complex challenges. We Make Real Estate Run Better.