In preparation for our Women of Influence special feature and retreat, Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com together is putting a spotlight on the achievements of women in commercial real estate. This year, we collected nominations across a number of fields, with the awards to be presented at our inaugural GlobeSt.ELITE Women of Influence Conference and this year's amount of entries, was our biggest yet.

While female professionals have long been championing the cause of advancing and recognizing their counterparts' accomplishments in commercial real estate, it takes collaboration among all stakeholders to truly achieve the goal at hand. In fact, research done by Boston Consulting Group, found that across a global level, 96% of organizations in which men are deliberately engaged in gender inclusion programs see progress, compared to only 30% of organizations where men are not engaged. Further, a study by McKinsey projects that in a “full potential” scenario in which both CIS genders participate equally in the economy, annual global GDP would increase by 26%, or $28 trillion.

Perhaps in light of these findings, men across the business world are seeking ways to be active participants in the movement to empower and encourage women in the field—and commercial real estate is no exception. As such, Real Estate Forum is recognizing a few (male) CRE professionals who have taken significant steps to stand up for and support their female colleagues, be it through the introduction and implementation of policies and programs on an organizational or cultural level, or efforts taken on a more direct and personal level. These successful candidates have shown how his ability to influence or bring about cultural change in the workplace or broader industry has given rise to more support for gender diversity and equality.