How Real Estate Can Build Stronger, Fairer Communities
Real estate isn’t just about buildings, it’s about helping to create an inclusive economy. One that benefits all
As investors, developers, and property owners, we have a responsibility to create places that drive sustainable economic growth whilst actively supporting wellbeing, social mobility, and community resilience.
At a time of greater macroeconomic uncertainty, widening inequality and environmental pressure, this responsibility has never been more urgent. The real estate sector has the power to unlock opportunities for underrepresented communities through employment, economic growth, housing, local amenities, and environmental stewardship.
At SEGRO, we believe our assets should enable not only business success, but community success as well. When done well, long-term social investment builds pride, purpose and belonging among colleagues, loyalty among stakeholders and lasting trust in the communities where we operate.
Crucially, we’ve learned that genuine impact doesn’t come from top-down planning or one-off initiatives. It comes from sustained, authentic collaboration.
Over the past three years, our ecosystem of customers, suppliers, employees, and community partners has delivered more than 2,400 volunteering days, supporting everything from student mentoring and employment workshops to community environmental projects.
This collective effort has made a real difference: 758 unemployed individuals moved into meaningful jobs, and 119 local environmental initiatives were completed, directly supporting the health and wellbeing of local people.
When young people take part in our education programmes, they don’t just hear from a SEGRO voice, they engage with our contractors, customers, and suppliers too. So far, 142 customers and 121 suppliers and stakeholders have partnered with us, each offering unique perspectives and role models. As a result, we’ve inspired over 25,000 young people about the world of work and the endless possibilities for their future.
But collaboration only works when it’s focused and authentic. Supporting every good cause isn’t realistic. That’s why we prioritise charitable partners and projects that align with our purpose and long-term vision. Working with trusted, community-rooted organisations helps shape more relevant and impactful programmes. Needs vary from place-to-place and a one-size-fits-all model rarely works. The best initiatives respect this nuance while staying connected to a broader mission to make a real difference.
Too often, the benefits for employees are overlooked. Volunteering and mentoring aren’t just ways to give back, they’re powerful opportunities to grow new skills, build confidence and strengthen teams. In fact, over the past three years, 95% of our employees have actively volunteered through our Community Investment Plan. This is something we’re proud of, and a sign of the culture we’ve built.
What’s changed in recent years is that this kind of activity is no longer a ‘nice to do’ or CSR box to tick. As one of our public sector partners put it, it’s become a core way for public and private sectors to tackle shared challenges together. These aren’t transactional arrangements, they’re long-term, relationship-driven commitments. And far from being a cost, we’ve seen repeatedly that social impact can be financially sustainable when built into business models from the start.
Our approach has been shaped by more than a century of experience, informed by local insight, and delivered through collaboration. Now, we’re sharing what we’ve learned so others can build on it, evolve it and go further.
To support others looking to start or scale their social impact work, we’ve developed a free, open-source Community Impact Playbook. Available on our website, it sets out the core principles behind our approach and is designed to be both scalable and adaptable.
The call to action is simple: start. Even small steps can make a difference. Listen carefully. Stay open. And commit for the long term. Because when we get this right, everyone benefits – our communities, our colleagues, and our businesses too.
Find out more and get involved on our volunteering page here.