NEW YORK (July 13, 2022) – Savills recently received two significant diversity, equity and inclusion honors, further validating its commitment to DEI practices across the firm. The Savills Junior Broker Development Program (JBDP) was featured in Bisnow’s inaugural Rise Initiative program. The firm was also a finalist for the Crain’s New York Business Diversity Champion recognition at the annual Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Awards.

Advancing and expanding DEI efforts in commercial real estate has been a longstanding goal of Savills CEO Mitchell E. Rudin. Rudin co-founded the first African American affinity group in the industry in 2008, has been the executive sponsor of several women’s networks and has a proven track record of building diverse leadership teams. Since being appointed Savills North America CEO in 2020, he has emphasized recruiting, retaining and advancing multicultural talent. In addition, he has fortified the firm’s commitment to fostering an increasingly diverse workforce through programming, training, communications, partnerships, philanthropy, and service in the communities where Savills operates.

“At Savills, we greatly value diversity, inclusion, well-being and sustainability through our people, workplace, and community. We have long believed that creating an environment that reflects the clients we serve is fundamental to achieving excellence in our business and is the key to long-term success,” said Rudin. “We’re humbled and honored to be recognized for our efforts by Bisnow and Crain’s, and we look forward to continuing these initiatives and more.”

Launched in October 2020, the paid JBDP is a company-wide initiative focused on mentoring and supporting people of color and women in the commercial real estate industry. The immersive 15-month rotational training initiative expanded from 10 participants between New York and Washington in its first year to 12 candidates and three additional markets, including Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, in its second year. Notably, women and people of color represent 90% of both groups.

Planned as an annual honoree program, Bisnow’s Rise Initiative recognizes companies for their impactful DEI efforts, aiming to highlight replicable strategies that will help the commercial real estate workforce become increasingly diverse and inclusive.

Crain’s also named Savills as a finalist for the Diversity Champions award. The program celebrates New York City individuals and organizations demonstrating a commitment to a diverse workforce and programs or initiatives advancing DEI in the workplace.

Since 2020, Savills has established several employee resource groups (ERGs) to further its DEI resources available to staff. The firm has also initiated scholarship funds, internal programming and partnerships with professional trade organizations to advance its diversity agenda.

Savills is the only global real estate firm to merge the chief strategy officer and chief diversity officer duties under the same individual, believing that driving revenue and DEI are co-dependent. In 2021, Ann Duncan Inman, former head of the firm’s Occupier Services team, was promoted to this newly combined position. Her track record of success within the organization and the industry provides a powerful basis for informed and responsive leadership.

“Diversity doesn’t just happen. You have to be thoughtful in your recruiting, programming and investments,” Duncan Inman said. “The world is so dynamic now that problem-solving requires different perspectives, which means you need diverse life experiences at the table. By building authentic, diverse, high-performing teams, we are helping better solve clients’ problems since we’re able to better anticipate issues or challenges.”