Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources
Below is a list of curated resources to help you and your team’s DEI learning and action journey.
DEI Action Toolkit
Coalition for Diversity in Real Estate Action Toolkit
This action toolkit provides small steps organizations can take and track in 4 areas:
Measure Diversity Stats
Performance Assessments
Hiring Practices
Mentorship & Advocacy
Industry DEI Surveys
Global Real Estate DEI Survey 2022 - Summary Report
A number of industry associations (ANREV, INREV, NAREIM, NCREIF, PREA, REALPAC, and ULI) along with Ferguson Partners conducted a Global Real survey.
Resources: Learning
Books - Great DEI at Work Overviews
These two books are excellent places to go for an overview of DEI topics at work with tangible action ideas.
Actions Speak Louder by Deanna Singh. An overview of DEI in the workplace, with guides for hiring, performance assessment, mentoring, meetings, and more.
“A timely, practical resource on creating teams and organizations where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.” –Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the podcast WorkLife
Bias Interrupted: Creating Inclusion for Real and for Good by Joan C Williams. Overview of bias types and how to counter it in organizations.
Videos
Diversity’s Missing Ingredient with Melody Hobson. Highlights the importance of measuring and accountability to make progress on diversity.
Ted Talk: Why Corporate Diversity Programs Fail- and How Small Tweaks Can Have a Big Impact by Joan C Williams
Color Blind or Color Brave TEDTalk with Mellody Hobson
Podcast Episodes
HBR IdeaCast “A New Way to Combat Bias at Work” (1/14/20)
Wharton’s Ripple Effect “Does Diversity Training Work?” (3/6/23) shares insight from research on gender bias in the workplace with tips such do people decisions in sets and leverage the power of scrutiny.
Race at Work “Black Rock’s Michelle Gadsden-Williams: The Difference of Inclusion” (6/1/22). Discusses retaining employees of color and milestones indicating successful DEI programs.
Race at Work “NHL’s Kim Davis: Overcoming Discrimination, Impact of Sponsors, and The Rooney Rule” (3/23/22). Discusses her career experiences, life-changing role of sponsors, and ideas to diversity companies and industries.
HBR IdeaCast “How Workplaces - Not Women - Need to Change to Improve Equality” (3/3/20)
HBR IdeaCast “How African-Americans Advance at Work- And What Organizations Can Do to Help” (8/27/19)
HBR Women at Work “Helping Men Help Us” - tips how men can be better allies (6/1/20)
Books - Other
Radical Candor by Kim Scott. Guidance to provide quality feedback and performance assessment.
Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace by David G Smith and W Brad Johnson. Tips for allyship and mentoring
HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Diversity by Harvard Business Review
Research Sources
Lean In. Provides resources for companies, allies, and research.
McKinsey- Provides research on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as annual reports on Women in the Workplace and Racial Diversity.
Women in the Workplace- annual report
Harvard Business Review - articles on diversity topics, include research on effectiveness on different initiatives.
Article “Be a Better Ally”
Case study exploring relationship of diversity and profitability in venture capital firms.
Resources: Hiring
Organizations - Diversity Pipeline and Entry-Level Hiring
Part of increasing diversity in our industry is getting more diverse people aware of the career opportunities in our industry and find access points to joining real estate firms.
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity - SEO Career Program - recruits and trains high achieving college students for summer internships
Toigo Foundation provides training and programs to develop and foster diverse talent.
Forte Foundation - focused on increasing women in business and leadership roles.
Organizations - Affinity Groups for Underrepresented People in Real Estate
Affinity organizations can provide opportunities to support and connect with people in the real estate industry from underrepresented groups. Some organizations also have job boards for their members, which are opportunities to have your job postings reach more diverse applicants.
Real Estate Executive Council (REEC): is a trade organization promoting the interests of executives of color in the commercial real estate industry.
Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW): is an organization working to advance women in the commercial real estate industry.
New York Women: WX (Women Executives in Real Estate)
Chicago Women: REFF (Real Estate Finance Forum) has job board distributed to its membership of women in real estate finance.
Organizations - Building a Diverse Pipeline
A number of organizations are working on attracting more diverse people to the real estate industry
Real Estate Associate Program (REAP): This program trains career-changing minority professionals for positions in real estate.
Real Estate Exchange (REEX): Exposes divers students to top universities and career opportunities in commercial real estate.
Resources: DEI Consultants
Diversity Consultants for Businesses
If you are looking for more resources than provided here, diversity consultants can help your organization identify areas of focus and implement successful initiatives.
Bias Interrupters at The Center for WorkLife Law
Awards for Diversity in Real Estate
Awards
A number of industry groups have created diversity initiatives, including awarding diversity efforts. Are you proud of your organization’s work? Apply for awards.
Industry Association Resources
CREUnited - an alliance aiming to increase minority participation in the CRE industry
Initiated by Walker & Dunlop, the organization has 5 objectives and tasks forces. Read more here.
ILPA (Institutional Limited Partners Association) -this private equity association provided DEI resources including:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion roadmap of best practices on organizational policies and infrastructure, attracting and promoting diverse talent, building inclusive cultures, decision making, and reporting and benchmarking.
Downloadable diversity metrics template for organizations.
NAREIM (National Association of Real Estate Investment Management)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion resources include best practice library, investor perspectives on DEI report, and the industry DEI survey.
NMHC (National Multifamily Housing Council)
NMHC has a resource page including a DEI industry framework, DEI committee, and DEI sponsorship program.
NMHC provides an Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Toolkit created by DEI consultancy, The Cee Suite. The toolkit is available to everyone for free.
PREA (Pension Real Estate Association)
PREA Foundation - “Mission- to further the interests and values of the institutional real estate investment community by advancing industry-wide diversity and inclusion.”
Webinar: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Commercial Real Estate: Benefits, Obstacles, and the State of the Industry
ULI (Urban Land Institute)
ULI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion website: has DEI resources for members