'Energising’, ‘inspiring’, ‘refreshing’, ‘powerful’ and ‘a fantastic opportunity’ – these are just a few words we received from the 100+ people who took part in our Women at Broadgate event in collaboration with SMBC Group and local partners, held at 100 Liverpool Street. Huge thanks to all involved for making this incredible initiative a success – an event made by women, for women.

Across our campuses, we are in a unique position to collaborate with our customers to give young people access to the diverse professionals and amazing commercial buildings. This initiative not only enhances social mobility but also increases our customers’ brand visibility among the next generation, contributing to their future talent pipelines.

The Women at Broadgate initiative originated from Sabina, our dedicated Social Impact Manager at Broadgate. She connects Broadgate businesses with local partners to mutually support, collaborate and change lives. Building on the success of employer insight days, she wanted to create a forum for young women to gain a deeper perspective on the variety of roles, experiences and routes that people take in their careers.

When Sabina approached the international bank SMBC, which is highly engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR), its team welcomed the opportunity for a collaborative initiative to improve social mobility locally and contribute to the group’s own CSR strategy. This led to SMBC hosting its biggest-ever event for students at its London head office.

In November, 80 students from Hackney and Tower Hamlets gathered for a panel discussion, CV masterclass and networking practice with 30 professional women from SMBC, British Land and other Broadgate businesses – special thanks go to Kyndryl, NG Bailey and Sir Robert McAlpine. The day was also supported by Tower Hamlets Council, MyBigCareer and Circle Collective. Together, we can all achieve more!

EXPANDING BRAND AWARENESS

Inviting groups inside our buildings has a knock-on effect that can’t yet be measured. Coming up the escalators at 100 Liverpool Street and entering SMBC’s London head office, the students were visibly wowed and motivated by the space. They then met women doing powerful jobs with employers across Broadgate.

This expands brand awareness for our customers, not only with the young people who participate but also with their families and networks. After the event, a parent got in touch on LinkedIn to thank SMBC, describing the impact of the day on their daughter: “When I picked her and her friend up from school, they were both glowing with energy, excitement and confidence. Being in a professional environment for the first time was eye-opening for them, and I’m incredibly thankful to you and the panellists for creating such an inspiring experience. You truly gave them the belief that success in this field is within their reach; they were literally buzzing!”

This is exactly what’s needed for our sectors to become more inviting to women. There are so many great careers in the built environment and finance but, to make the most of these opportunities, women must first know about them and then consider them to be viable careers for themselves. Otherwise, they’re missing a trick and we’re missing out on their skills and perspectives. With more collaborative initiatives, we hope to see increasing numbers of young people from local boroughs progressing in apprenticeships, internships and careers across our campuses.

BOOSTING SOCIAL MOBILITY

Social mobility is a priority for British Land, reflected in our Top 75 ranking in the Social Mobility Employer Index for seven years running. It’s about giving underrepresented groups access to knowledge, skills and opportunities that might otherwise be out of their reach, so they can make the best choices for their careers and lives. When this happens, everyone benefits.

Women at Broadgate gave many young people their first experience of what a big organisation looks like, how people behave in that environment and the many different roles involved. The panel discussion featured senior women from diverse backgrounds, who had built their careers in different ways, giving students real-world examples to connect with. The students’ questions showed how engaged and switched-on they were, exploring salaries, study choices and career challenges. As students met professionals and found out about their journeys, the space was alive with animated conversations.

THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT

Women at Broadgate is the latest example of how British Land’s campus customers are leveraging our dedicated Social Impact Manager’s local relationships and ready-to-join initiatives to bring about social change and diversify their talent pipelines. We hope to see the model repeated and adapted for other sectors. The real power of these collaborations is in the multiplier effect, as more customers take initiatives forward and make them their own, to reflect their priorities and the needs of different groups.

We encourage customers who want to make a positive impact locally to contact us, for ready-to-join initiatives, connections with local partners and community funds run by our social impact managers: [email protected]

Explore our 2030 Sustainability Strategy: Greener Spaces, Thriving Places, Responsible Choices: www.britishland.com/sustainability