The Savills Ethnicity Group is chaired by Serena Phillips and Faisal Choudhry. The Ethnicity Group is focused on: attracting global majority talent into the business through reaching into communities to promote our many apprenticeship pathways, developing our global majority talent and the business understanding of inclusivity, and ensuring we celebrate, recognise and give the opportunity for safe space to drive an inclusive culture. The group have had a fantastic year most notably having a 147% increase in applicants for our apprenticeship programme to help us reach our goal of having our apprentices reflect society, have engaged with the global majority communities to build our pool of talent, developed learning modules, training, speaker series and empowered allies, and recognised key cultural and religious dates through articles, blog posts, food, and community. The group act as a critical friend to the business, and work with operational reps to help the business achieve its ethnicity targets and goals. It is a fundamental and inspirational group made up of volunteers who are committed to driving change and providing true inclusion.

ATTRACT
This year the group have:
– Introduced a virtual work experience programme alongside the in person programme, which offers global majority students an introduction to the world of Real Estate with high performers fast tracked to the apprenticeship assessment centre. The introduction of a virtual work experience week helped break down barriers for those who may not have access to in-person opportunities. Candidates for these programmes were identified through the groups’ external partnerships. 30 students participated and 21 were fast tracked
– Partnered with organisations who can help us reach more students from global majority backgrounds like Gen Z Club & 10,000 Black Interns working in collaboration to offer work experience and targeted application support
– Attended career fairs, CV workshops, held online drop in calls, built relationships with universities and colleges and worked with charities like Career Ready to build student applicant capability
– Held a Black History Month early talent event, which brought over 110 global majority students to Savills HQ to hear about how to make a successful apprenticeship application and network with senior people for advice and support

DEVELOP
The group have:
– Identified a training provider who specialises in management apprenticeships to upskill colleagues from global majority backgrounds
– Held the first apprenticeship bootcamp. Content was tailored either to global majority apprentices (navigating the business, top tips, support, and building connection) or to the line managers of global majority apprentices (inclusive management principles, polish over potential, and how to get the best from your apprentices). Feedback was overwhelming positive
– Partnered with We Rise In, where in 2024 we funded 3 mid-career global majority colleagues to attend for their own professional development to support their promotion applications
– Identified speakers and organised lunch and learns for those from global majority backgrounds on presenting with impact, navigating the promotion process and having courageous conversations which saw over 150 joiners online
– Developed, wrote and filmed an interactive learning module titled ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ to support allies in creating psychological safety to talk about race, which was in direct response to feedback after the summer riots
– During BHM, to engage those in the midlands, held a masterclass on how black employees can reclaim their narrative and how those from white backgrounds can support them doing so. This saw 130 people attend in the room and over 100 people online
– Matched colleagues from the REaCH network with board members for mutual mentoring, with two of members matched with the MD

LEAD
This year the group:
– Held many safe space opportunities for people from global majority backgrounds to talk about their experiences, share stories, meet likeminded colleagues and find community. One of the times of biggest impact was during the riots of Summer 24, where the group brought people together, global majority and allies alike, to reflect, gain support from allies and focus on wellbeing/safety
– To celebrate black excellence, held a Black History Month event alongside industry clients British Land and Landsec to drive networking, join forces in a more collaborative way, and to support one another’s strategies. This saw 120 people attend
– Identified powerful and inspirational global majority role models to host ‘Talking With’ pieces on our intranet, film our ‘PROUD voices’ social media campaign, and tell their Savills stories.