We hope to spark a series of broader changes within our business

COMMENT: The Future Female Leaders programme is a catalyst for both our business and the real estate industry to back change and enable us to approach a long-standing issue from a very different angle. As with all things in life, a simple idea executed well can have a huge legacy. Clearly we are only in the foothills but a shift in our approach to diversity will only be fully effective if we clearly explain and celebrate successes and bring others with us – and empower visible, vocal voices to inspire others. For us at Grosvenor it’s vital that we are able to showcase the full breadth and depth of our talent beyond our executive team and this programme has achieved a huge amount for us in a short space of time. Our sustainability goals say a lot about the purpose, values and culture of our business. The work that our Future Female Leader, Emily Hamilton, is helping to steer – and the cultural shift this is creating – will shape our business and the outlook for my colleagues and our communities for generations to come.  From talking to Emily and hearing her enthusiasm for the programme and her new network, the benefits are clear. The confidence this programme has inspired is impressive. This is both about underpinning an individual’s abilities and natural strengths, as well as learning to lead authentically as women and not as facsimiles of our male predecessors. The strong and positive bond that has formed across the 2019 participants signifies the incredible potential for change that our sector can have, if we put our mind to it, causing a ripple effect throughout our industry.  It is so important to have the chance to work with women in other organisations – it helps us see the bigger picture, build a broader support network and understand what more we can do to help our own very talented women. I have no doubt that this new network will find ways to influence change within their companies and across the industry – based on the support, kindness and inspiration they now provide each other with and also the new skills they have learnt. I also have no doubt that collectively our organisations and industry will benefit from this network. So, what’s next? At Grosvenor, our involvement in the programme wasn’t only about investing in a single person but about what that investment stood for – pushing ourselves and our industry to change and to try things that are new, and perhaps a little daunting. The Future Female Leaders programme is a very personal journey for the individual participants but at Grosvenor, we are ultimately seeking to use Emily’s experience to help our business as we look to make the leaps we want to see in increasing diversity of all kinds. We also often find that progress in one area opens doors to new conversations and changes in another. This programme has been a game-changer for inspiring and recognising female talent but our industry’s diversity issue is more multi-faceted. By empowering these women, we hope to spark a series of broader changes within our business and industry demonstrating that much more is possible. Karima Fahmy is general counsel, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland