The Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) was founded in 2011 to encourage greater diversity in the real estate and land use industry. A variety of global research demonstrates that gender diversity in a company’s leadership ranks correlates with improved performance compared with peer organizations that lack diversity. Economic research also illustrates the increased productivity possible if industry sectors fully use the female population in the workforce. Yet membership statistics for ULI reflect a lack of diversity, with only one in four members being a woman. In order to build a vibrant and sustainable organization, that lack of diversity must be addressed.
The mission of WLI is to raise the visibility and number of women leaders at ULI and in the real estate industry. This mission is achieved through the following objectives:
WLI is a global initiative with local chapters throughout ULI’s district and national councils. Programming includes panel discussions on real estate trends, networking events, leadership training, mentorship, and scholarships. For more information on WLI, visit www.uli.org/WLI