Opening Doors to Thriving Futures for All, Beginning with Home
As one of my personal heroes, Dr. Jane Goodall, once said, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
What kind of difference do we at the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA)—our staff and volunteer leaders, alongside our partner boards and associations and incredible members across the country—want to make in the world?
We know that our collaborative efforts encourage, empower, and enable REALTORS® in their support of Canadian real estate journeys. We advocate for a policy and legislative environment that promotes homeownership while recognizing the importance of the entire housing continuum for communities and the Canadian economy. We champion REALTORS® through awareness initiatives, education programs, and by fostering excellence within the profession. Additionally, we provide REALTORS® with competitive tools and technology resources like REALTOR.ca.
In essence, that is what CREA does. But why do we do it? And what value do we add to society through our work?
While CREA’s strategic plan outlines our mission, vision, and values [link], our 2022 Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Committee recommended adding a social purpose statement to align with emerging best practices in association governance [link]. A social purpose statement defines an organization’s reason for existence while optimizing its contribution to people’s well-being as well as that of the planet [link].
The committee’s recommendation was ultimately approved by CREA’s Board of Directors who recognized that associations like ours can—and should—play key roles in addressing social and environmental issues. By doing so, we enhance our relevance as well as sustainability while increasing value for our members.
Last year, our 2023 ESG Committee engaged Mary Ellen Schaafsma from Purpose Pathways Consulting [link], a leading expert in purpose-driven organizations here in Canada. She guided us through a comprehensive process aimed at defining CREA’s social purpose.
Developing CREA’s Social Purpose Statement
We began by reviewing CREA’s history along with its evolving strategic direction and core competencies. Next came workshops involving various stakeholders: Board Directors; ESG Committee members; board staff; association staff; REALTOR® members; external stakeholders; partners—all contributing insights about what CREA offers to society versus what society needs.
Through these discussions emerged several clear themes centered around homeownership: home itself—as more than just shelter—housing needs differing among individuals—and how everyone deserves equitable access to safe housing options tailored to their circumstances.
It became evident during consultations that REALTORS® understand housing is intricately linked with critical societal issues such as health care access poverty alleviation security enhancement social equity environmental sustainability climate change mitigation etcetera.
Stakeholders also expressed how housing could serve as leverage towards achieving broader goals envisioned by both CREA & REALTOR® members including fostering more equitable inclusive healthier communities moving forward together collaboratively!
After gathering all this input over eight months’ worth consultation sessions—we distilled everything down into one draft statement which was then tested against established criteria alongside select stakeholder feedback resulting finally after much deliberation into:
“CREA opens doors to thriving futures for all beginning with home.”
This succinct yet powerful declaration acknowledges something every REALTOR knows deeply: “home” serves not only foundationally but also emotionally towards realizing thriving futures ahead! Many have shared heartfelt reactions upon hearing it first time—it resonates profoundly!
The statement is memorable aspirational—a big idea driving long-term journey ahead both association membership alike! It intentionally embraces inclusivity when stating “for all”—meaning every individual regardless background identity financial circumstance deserves opportunity afforded therein equally!
Recognizing systemic barriers faced particularly by equity-seeking groups such Indigenous populations racialized communities today—we aim help dismantle those obstacles within real estate industry beyond too!
To further build upon this new direction four underlying narrative statements were developed:
- Housing Is A Human Right: Everyone should have equitable access safe affordable options meeting their unique needs irrespective financial status.
- Home Fosters Dignity & Belonging: The feeling associated ‘home’ holds significant importance on deeper emotional levels.
- Healthy Environment Critical To Thriving Future: Protecting environment mitigating climate change essential ensuring homes communities remain safe healthy resilient places live thrive!
4 . Collaboration Key Unlocking Positive Change : Working closely together likeminded partners necessary tackling pressing challenges facing us today tomorrow alike!
I’m pleased report these narratives along side overarching purpose were officially approved earlier this year! Since then we’ve begun rolling out training initiatives focused around implementing activating engaging membership regarding newfound sense shared responsibility moving forward collectively toward positive outcomes desired across boardrooms living rooms everywhere alike!!
While REALTORS will always remain central focus everything done here at CREA—the new vision has already begun opening minds hearts possibilities surrounding potential contributions made together amongst ourselves partners community overall striving create lasting impactful changes desired see happen world around us!
Stay tuned—we look forward sharing progress updates soon!
فتح أبواب لمستقبل مزدهر للجميع، بدءًا من المنزل
كما قالت بطلة من أبطالي الشخصيين، الدكتورة جين غودال: “لا يمكنك أن تمر بيوم واحد دون أن تترك أثرًا على العالم من حولك. ما تفعله يحدث فرقًا، وعليك أن تقرر أي نوع من الفرق تريد أن تصنعه.”
ما هو الفرق الذي نريد صنعه؟
ما هو الفرق الذي نريد نحن في الجمعية الكندية للعقارات (CREA) – موظفونا وقادة المتطوعين لدينا، جنبًا إلى جنب مع مجالسنا وشركائنا وأعضائنا الرائعين في جميع أنحاء البلاد – صنعه في العالم؟
نحن نعلم أن عملنا معًا يشجع ويمكّن وكلاء العقارات لدعم رحلاتهم في عالم العقارات الكندية. نحن نسعى لخلق بيئة سياسية وتشريعية تدعم ملكية المنازل مع الاعتراف بأهمية كل جوانب الإسكان للمجتمعات والاقتصاد الكندي. نحن ندافع عن وكلاء العقارات من خلال التوعية والتعليم وتعزيز التميز في المهنة. كما نقدم لهم أدوات وتقنيات تنافسية تشمل موقع REALTOR.ca.
لماذا نفعل ذلك؟
باختصار، هذا هو ما تقوم به CREA. لكن لماذا نقوم بذلك؟ وما القيمة التي نضيفها للمجتمع من خلال عملنا؟
بينما يحدد crea.ca/files/CREA-Strategic-Overview2022ENupdnew.pdf” target=”blank” rel=”noopener”>خطة CREA الاستراتيجية مهمتنا ورؤيتنا وقيمنا، أوصت لجنة البيئة والمجتمع والحكومة (ESG) لعام 2022 بإضافة بيان غرض اجتماعي يتماشى مع فتح أبواب لمستقبل مزدهر للجميع
تطوير بيان الغرض الاجتماعي لـ CREA
في العام الماضي، قامت لجنة ESG لعام 2023 بالتعاون مع خبير بارز في مجال الأغراض هنا في كندا، ماري إلين شافسما من 877Opening-Doors-to-Thriving-Futures-for-All-Beginning-with-Home.jpg”>مستقبل أفضل
قمناً أيضًا بتطوير أربعة بيانات سرد أساسية لبناء العمل حول غرضينا الاجتماعي:
- نعتقد بأن الإسكان حق إنساني: يجب أن يتمتع الجميع بإمكانية الوصول العادل إلى خيارات سكن آمنة وميسورة تلبي احتياجاتهم.
- نعتقد بأن المنزل يعزز كرامة الإنسان والانتماء: شعور “المنزل” مهم للأفراد بشكل عميق.
- نعتقد بأن البيئة الصحية ضرورية لمستقبل مزدهر: يجب علينا حماية البيئة والتخفيف من آثار تغير المناخ لضمان سلامة وصحة مجتمعاتينا.
- نعتقد بأن التعاون مفتاح لإحداث تغيير إيجابي: يجب علينا العمل بشكل وثيق مع الشركاء ذوي الأفكار المتشابهة لتحريك الأمور نحو مواجهة تحديات اجتماعية وبيئية كبيرة اليوم وغدًا.
أنا سعيد بالإبلاغ أنه تمت الموافقة على بيان الغرض الاجتماعي الخاص بنا والسرد الأساسي بواسطة مجلس إدارة CREA مطلع هذا العام وقد بدأ تنفيذ التدريب المرتبط بالغرض لأعضاء فريق العمل لدينا وتطوير خطط التنفيذ والنشاط والمشاركة للأعضاء.
بينما سيظل وكلاء العقارات هم محور كل ما نقوم به ، فإن بيان الغرض الجديد قد بدأ بالفعل بفتح آفاق جديدة تفكر فيها حول ما يمكن لـ CREAA وشركائها وأعضائها القيام به سوياً لنكون جزءً مما نريد رؤيته بالعالم . نتطلع لإبقائكم مطلعين على تقدم أعمالا!
