Bristol Property Inclusion Charter, an initiative founded to make Bristol’s property industry more representative of the city it serves, has marked six years and shows no sign of slowing down.
Launched by commercial property lawyer Karl Brown, the charter was created to boost diversity and inclusion across the city’s built environment sector.
The charter has grown from just 16 founding signatories to 117 companies and organisations, reflecting widespread recognition from across the industry.
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The initiative and its far-reaching impact on the city’s property sector has not gone unnoticed, with Brown nominated in the Bristol Legends awards under the Business category.
While pleased with the recognition, he insists “there is still so much work to be done”.
He was also awarded the prestigious Sir Alexander Bustamante Award for his dedication to promoting diversity and inclusivity.
The award, named after the first prime minister of Jamaica, recognises individuals of Caribbean heritage who have made exceptional contributions to their communities.
Brown, a partner at national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP, says the idea for the charter grew out of a “real problem” and his own experience working in Bristol’s property sector since 2005.
Born and bred in Bristol to parents from the Windrush generation, he noticed that the sector did not reflect the diversity or independent spirit of the city it aims to champion.
Brown said: “Having joined Clarke Willmott in 2005 and worked with the Bristol property sector for many years, I had noted that the backgrounds of those working in the industry were not quite reflective of the broader diversity of the city of Bristol.
“At the same time, the property industry played a vital role in my own family’s story.”
Brown’s own journey into law has been no pleasure cruise. He recounted how he sent over 100 applications for a training contract before landing one at a Taunton-based firm. In 2014, he became the first Black president of Bristol Junior Chamber (BJC).
Brown’s father arrived in the UK from Jamaica in the 1960s and found work as a plasterer, supporting the family through jobs with developers and house builders across the Bristol region.
That experience helped shape Brown’s belief that the property industry can offer life-changing careers, if access to those opportunities is widened.
The charter asks signatories to commit to seven core objectives, all designed to open up careers in property to talented people from all backgrounds, regardless of race, gender, socio-economic background or education pathway.
The focus is not on quotas, but on collaboration, transparency and long-term cultural change, he said.
More importantly, the Bristol Property Inclusion Charter is the first city-wide initiative of its kind in the UK, something Brown says is a “source of real pride”.
“As a born-and-bred Bristolian, I’m incredibly proud that this started here,” he said.
“Change at this scale only happens when people across an industry work together, and the level of support from the Bristol property sector has been humbling.”
The second Bristol Property and Construction Lecture, held in autumn, featured speakers such as Marti Burgess, Dr Zara Nanu and Chanelle Gray – photo: Milan Perera
Brown added: “I do regard the fact that the charter has achieved more than 100 signatories as a major achievement.
“Opening up an industry to a wider range of people can only be achieved through collaboration, and I believe the charter has been a vehicle for that, helping to make the Bristol property industry stronger for the future.”
Brown is keen to highlight the breadth of career opportunities within the sector, from construction workers, skilled trades and building companies, to estate agents, architects, surveyors, planners and property lawyers.
Bristol’s property sector continues to grow rapidly, with older buildings being given new leases of life and some new builds with innovative, energy-efficient and aesthetically striking designs emerging across the city.
Family-owned local construction companies take on new projects providing employment to hundreds of people and some are recognised with industry awards. They all needed to be celebrated, Brown insists.
He believes the stage of simply identifying a lack of diversity has now passed, and that the focus must now be on action and meaningful initiatives.
One of the most valuable lessons learned over the past six years, he says, is the importance of engaging young people early and in practical ways.
That thinking led to the creation of the Bristol Property Foundation Class, run in partnership with UWE Bristol and Bristol Works, the careers arm of Bristol City Council.
The programme invites local school pupils to take part in a mock property project centred on an empty unit in the Galleries shopping centre.
Students are tasked with reimagining the space while balancing commercial viability, sustainability and community use, mirroring real-world challenges faced by developers and planners.
The initiative is designed to give young people a real taste of the sector, whether that leads them towards construction, architecture, law, estate agency, or even starting their own business rooted in the communities they understand best.
“The class gives students a genuine insight into how property projects work,” Brown explained,
“But just as importantly, it shows them the huge range of careers available, from law and planning to construction, design and asset management.”
As the Charter has matured, its role has evolved. Rather than operating in isolation, it now works increasingly in partnership with other major industry groups, including Women in Property South West, the Bristol Property Agents Association (BPAA) and the Forum for the Built Environment (FBE).
A recent example was the Bristol Property and Construction Lecture, held in autumn and titled ‘Diversity Delivers Better Business’.
Karl Brown was awarded the prestigious Sir Alexander Bustamante Award for his dedication to promoting diversity and inclusivity – photo: Karl Brown
Organised jointly by the Charter, BPAA and FBE, the event featured speakers including Marti Burgess, Dr Zara Nanu and Chanelle Gray.
The speakers discussed why the sector needs a genuine shake-up to attract more diverse talent and voices.
Looking ahead, Brown believes collaboration will remain at the heart of the Charter’s future, helping the sector become not only more inclusive, but more resilient and innovative.
“The aim has always been to make the Bristol property industry stronger for the future,” he said.
“By opening doors to the widest possible pool of talent, everyone benefits.”
Main photo: Milan Perera
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