{"id":37211,"date":"2022-03-04T10:00:56","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T21:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/?p=37211"},"modified":"2022-03-04T10:00:56","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T21:00:56","slug":"pioneers-in-property-meet-the-trailblazing-women-making-their-mark-in-the-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/pioneers-in-property-meet-the-trailblazing-women-making-their-mark-in-the-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Pioneers in property: Meet the trailblazing women making their mark in the industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOTO: Once, women dreaded walking past building sites or being patronised by real estate agents. But today, it\u2019s increasingly likely that a fair number of those jobs will be held by women. And, what\u2019s more, they\u2019ll often be the ones in charge.\u00a0Photo:\u00a0JESSICA HROMAS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Early in Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz\u2019s career in the property industry, she worked closely with a female colleague in a more senior position who proved to be a valuable mentor.<\/p>\n

Ten years on, she was shocked to discover the other woman had a secret life \u2013 as a mother \u2013 and had never once mentioned her children\u2019s existence.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019d never spoken about them because she felt then she wouldn\u2019t be taken seriously in her job,\u201d Lloyd-Hurwitz says. \u201cAs a result, she felt she couldn\u2019t take that part of herself to work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat had a big impact on me. I realised how important it is to have a normalised environment where you can bring your whole self to work, and be part of creating a much healthier workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Lloyd-Hurwitz is the chief executive of development giant Mirvac, a company that has been ranked the number two employer in the world for gender equity for the second year running. \u201cAnd we now have our sights on number one!\u201d she\u00a0says.<\/p>\n

In the run-up to International Women\u2019s Day on March 8, it\u2019s heartening to see how far the property industry \u2013 once so dominated by men and entrenched in a mire of machismo \u2013 has now\u00a0progressed.<\/p>\n

These days, there are a number of women heading the various sectors planning, designing, developing, constructing, selling, buying, valuing\u00a0and financing the nation\u2019s homes and commercial real estate, and, together, they\u2019re making a major\u00a0difference.<\/p>\n

Only if the industry itself more accurately reflects wider society, they say, will the country\u2019s real estate be the very best it can be.<\/p>\n

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Susan Lloyd Hurwitz, Leanne Pilkington and Alison Mirams have played a leading role promoting gender equity within the property sector. Photo: Jessica Hromas<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a result, there\u2019s real hope for the future. The latest\u00a0Champions of Change Impact Report,<\/em>\u00a0from a globally recognised coalition aiming at achieving gender equality, found that more than 70 per cent of the 24 organisations that make up the Australian property slice of the organisation have either improved or achieved equity.<\/p>\n

Half managed to achieve gender-balanced recruitment, 45 per cent to reach an equal balance of women in their workforce, and 43 per cent to award promotions to just as many females as males.<\/p>\n

\u2018The coalition is about delivering on a united vision for our industry. We know we have more work to do, but there\u2019s no doubt we have made significant progress which is delivering real outcomes,\u201d says Bob Johnston, chair of the Property Champions of Change.<\/p>\n

Gender-equity pay reviews, better parental leave policies, the introduction of more flexibility into the workplace and targeted recruitment have all had an effect, but there\u2019s still a long way left to go.<\/p>\n

For example, Alison Mirams, the chief executive of construction company Roberts Co, makes a concerted effort to bring women onto her staff, to the point where it\u2019s now at a total of 39 per cent female, with 32 per cent of crane and hoist drivers being women.<\/p>\n

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