Property firms in the south east look set to receive a boost after a new initiative has been announced.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is an international organisation which represents everything within a professional or ethical sense for its 118,000 members in the property industry.

The group has has revealed that they will launch a ‘quality’ scheme which will encourage diversity within their members’ workforce.

The Inclusive Employer Quality Mark asks employers to commit to improving at the work place by adopting six principles, which range from leadership to recruitment.

Launching next month, the scheme will see property firms create a more inclusive and competitive workforce.

Each of the principles will be accompanied by a ‘proof point’ which will need to be signed off on a bi-annual basis, to ensure their members are working towards the principle.

Once a firm becomes a signatory the employees are then informed as to how well they are performing. Signatories will be published on the RICS website, and member firms may then use the tag line ‘signatory to the RICS Inclusive Employer Quality Mark’ and the logo.

Louise Brooke-Smith, RICS President said: “I am delighted to be launching the Inclusive Employer Quality Mark. It marks the step change that the profession needs. This initiative has been discussed with, and has the support and encouragement of, a number of leading firms - both large and small – across the land and property sector.

“Employee needs are changing, along with their expectations and demographic make-up. The competitive war for talent has also shifted the focus to attracting and retaining talent in the industry. Only by doing so, can we deliver a sustainable future. By committing to the Quality Mark, firms will gain a competitive advantage. An inclusive approach allows organisations to reflect and engage with their clients more effectively and efficiently.”

Lynn Robinson, RICS regional director south, added: “If current workforce statistics in our industry do not improve then Britain, including the South East, will stop building in 2019. Our profession needs to encourage a larger number of skilled and qualified people into our sector, and changing the culture in the workplace will enable us to attract the brightest talent.

“The Quality Mark will put RICS at the forefront of the profession, leading on rewarding and sharing best practice, and recognising and promoting the work of both large and small firms who are striving towards creating an inclusive workforce. An inclusive workforce is a competitive workforce, and is a business asset - the more diverse the workforce, the better able it is to respond to clients. Real change will not happen quickly and we need firms to commit to the journey with us.”