As part of the Charter, we are committed as a business to make our team better reflect the communities in which we work by adopting the following policies:

1. Monitoring diversity in our workplace and, where appropriate for our company, providing the RICS with data and information on company policies designed to support a more diverse workforce.
2. Sharing resources, including best-practice guidelines and case studies, with other signatories.
3. Striving to appoint senior ‘diversity champions’ within our organisation.
4. Providing mentoring to support employees’ career development, both at entry level and mid-career.
5. Endeavouring to work with at least one state senior school in each town or city in which we operate to promote careers in the built environment to young people from diverse backgrounds.
6. Where possible, offering - and advertise externally - paid internships and apprenticeships.
7. Using a blind recruitment process where appropriate to prevent unconscious bias in the shortlisting process.
8. Enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on homophobia, sexism, ageism and any other form of discrimination and encourage employees to report instances of prejudice to the diversity champions.
9. Ensuring all our buildings are fully accessible and provide appropriate equipment and support to allow employees with disabilities to play a full role in the workplace.
10. Seeking to make diversity a key criterion when procuring services from other companies to help ensure the example we set is followed by others.

Aaron McKenzie, resources director at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “We are on a mission to become the most progressive commercial property business in the UK and Ireland, and that can only be achieved if we reflect the make-up of the communities in which we live and work.  We are proud to be an early adopter of the Property Week Diversity Charter.”