Case Study:
UK Real Estate
A collaborative response to a lack of socio-economic diversity
“The Bridge Group’s report encouraged a collaborative response to the lack of socio-economic diversity in the real estate sector. It demonstrated clearly that action is required.
“The findings indicated positive advancements in ensuring equitable access to the sector. However, they also underscored the necessity for further cultural shifts to empower all employees to flourish and achieve their full potential. The sector’s reaction to the report has been encouraging, and we acknowledge this reception as a vital call to action.”
Gemma Piggott, UK Head of Corporate Sustainability at JLL.
In 2024-25, the JLL UK Foundation, a charitable organisation that supports various community initiatives and projects, in partnership with Real Estate Balance, a membership organisation working to improve equity, diversity and inclusion in the real estate industry, commissioned the Bridge Group to conduct research to assess socio-economic diversity within leading real estate organisations and identify areas for improvement.
The research found a significant lack of socio-economic diversity in UK real estate, especially in senior roles (51% held by White males from higher socio-economic backgrounds (SEBs) vs. 14% from lower SEBs). It also revealed that lower SEB employees, particularly women and ethnic minorities, face compounded disadvantages.
The report offered ten recommendations, including raising awareness, standardising data, and embedding inclusion. The JLL UK Foundation and Real Estate Balance saw the report as highlighting the sector’s opportunity to lead in diversity by socio-economic background, highlighting the benefits of diverse experiences and urging collective action for fair access and career progression.
February 2026