International Women’s Day at The RICS has been inspiring and motivating.
Sau-Wan have been so privileged to be able to attend an in person event at RICS London HQ today.
Sau-Wan says “Being a business owner, to take time out, to listen to various panel & speakers give their insights on the topic of Women in the surveying profession, to take away so much inspiration, experiences and challenges faced and still in front of us as a profession, in front of me as a business owner, as a female chartered surveyor, as a role model as a change maker.”
Thank you to Ros Goode for her opening words, “Allyship” running strong throughout the morning.
Inspirationing younger surveyors, my admiration of/for them – in speaking so clearly and eloquently in front of us and the live stream.
Marion Ellis FRICS and her panel on career progression; motherhood through menopause.
And Intersectionality panel, calling for action and passion on creating equality, diversity and inclusion in our firms. There are 180 bias that occur around us, let’s create spaces, let’s talk more and we all bring different experiences.
It’s the differences that adds richness to our environments, lives and businesses that we need to encourage; break the bias that limits our visions, our minds and our experiences.
Charlotte Neal closed the event, with her experiences and stats on the low female ratios to male.
1923 Irene Barclay and Evelyn Perry, the first women chartered surveyors formed Barclay and Perry Chartered Surveyors, the first woman-led surveying firm.
Ground breaking in a profession dominated by men at the time.
2018 – Rebecca Wheeler and Sau-Wan Lai set up Wheeler & Lai Chartered Surveyors.
We follow in their footsteps.
2022, still only 18% of chartered surveyors are female.
Still outnumbered by male counterparts, though the percentage is increasing, we need to encourage more diversity and demonstrate role models in the variety of roles available in this built environment world.
