Giving back to the community

The finish line of 2017 is in sight!

In past weeks, over 6,000 people have attended Property Council Christmas events around Australia.

We held hundreds of events this year – bringing people together, informing the industry and strengthening the ties between us all. One of the best events every year is Green Cities. It highlights what we can do to make our cities more inclusive and sustainable. If you are intending to go to Green Cities in 2018, early-bird registrations close on Friday.

We are an industry that connects and collaborates. It’s true – we know how to celebrate as well. This year we have used those celebrations to do good work.

This year we have raised over $200,000 for charities confronting homelessness – including tens of thousands at Christmas events.

The lion’s share (over $185,000) has been given to the Property Industry Foundation who work tirelessly in building houses to help young Australians who are homeless. The Foundation is one of the industry’s great initiatives.

It’s been said that the best corporate social responsibility occurs when there is an irrefutable connection between a company and a cause. If there is an industry that believes in the power of housing in shaping lives and strengthening communities, it is our industry. We hand over 600 sets of keys to new homes every day – and those homes and the people in them are the foundation of communities across Australia.

It’s been said that it’s not what we have to do that matters most, it’s what we choose to do.

For the Property Council, over 1,600 people volunteer and give back to the industry; hundreds are involved in mentoring and sponsoring the careers of others; and our members are involved in the most extraordinary breadth of causes. What everyone gives matters, more than you can imagine.

As the countdown clock moves to year’s end, it is good to remind ourselves of our purpose – which is to build Australia and to help make our cities and communities more vibrant, prosperous and sustainable.