CBRE Extends Partnership with Shelter for Third Year and Pledges to Raise £1 Million to Help the UK’s Leading Housing and Homelessness Charity by 2018
CBRE has achieved its initial two year UK fundraising target of £500,000 for Shelter, the UK’s leading housing and homelessness charity, in just 18 months. In the wake of this achievement, the global real estate advisor has now extended the UK-wide partnership for a third year and has set a new target to reach by 2018 of £1,000,000. This target will be made up of £750,000 through employee fundraising and corporate donations, in addition to £250,000 of pro bono work and savings on behalf of the charity.
This is the most ambitious charity partnership CBRE in the UK has ever undertaken, and has been recognised through the Better Society Awards 2016. It was recently shortlisted in the Charity Times Awards 2016. CBRE originally announced a two year partnership with Shelter in February 2015 as part of its ‘building a better future’ responsible business plan.
The success of the partnership has been cemented by high levels of employee engagement, including volunteering, fundraising and applying professional skills through pro bono work. Teams across the UK and from all levels of the business have participated in a diverse mix of fundraising activities including bike rides, rowing races, ‘tough mudder’ challenges, quiz nights, cake sales, marathons and climbing challenges along with effective volunteering and pro bono projects.
Pro bono work is an area which has been particularly successful and something CBRE plans to build upon over the next 18 months to help achieve its ambitious fundraising target. This year, Shelter asked CBRE to help with the optimisationof its portfolio of charity shops, highlighting potential areas for further expansion. CBRE advisors produced a detailed analysis of the current portfolio and were able to identify a number of high performing locations where the rent to sales ratio was optimal. Then, using agents on the ground, CBRE was able to pinpoint affordable locations for Shelter’s expansion.
CBRE also successfully advised Shelter on the repossession of its Services Hub in Liverpool by a large, mixed-use developer. CBRE worked to protect Shelter’s position and explore consideration options, and were able to obtain a larger settlement than was originally offered, identifying and securing marriage value.
We are delighted to have extended our partnership with Shelter and are committed to achieving the ambitious new fundraising targets we have set ourselves over the next 18 months. It’s a powerful example of how the property sector can make a huge difference, particularly for those who cannot access decent, good quality housing – something our industry has an important role to help change and many of us might take for granted.
~ Ciaran Bird, UK Managing Director, CBRE UK
We are extremely grateful to the team at CBRE for all the effort and commitment they have put into their fundraising so far, and the fact that the initial target was reached so quickly is testament to their dedication. The funds raised have had a huge impact around the UK and have helped us assist thousands of people in need of housing. Their pro bono property advice has been transformational for several aspects of our operations and really demonstrates the value of corporate partnerships that go beyond fundraising.
~ Campbell Robb, CEO of Shelter
CBRE staff remain dedicated and passionate when it comes to our charitable fundraising efforts. Our employees have been very engaged since they voted in our first employee ballot from across our UK offices. I am particularly grateful to our teams for their superb response and look forward to doing what we can to reach our new £1 million goal
~ Steve Timbs, Chairman of CBRE’s UK Communities and Giving Board and Head of Building Surveying
