ABOUT US
Our Core Principles:
Walk the Walk:
Be the example
Colour Outside the Lines:
Be curious and create. Dare to dream about the possibilities
Cultivate Accountability:
Measure and report progress
Unlearn to Relearn:
Disrupt assumptions and educate to build
Challenge and Learn:
Challenge the status quo of thinking
Foster Partnerships:
Work in collaboration with industry partners and diverse communities
Our Story:
In 2015, the idea of creating a platform to address and accelerate equity and diversity in the commercial real estate and development industry was founded by Chandran Fernando of Matrix360 Inc.
His idea gained momentum in 2017 with the assistance of Joannes Yimbesalu and has since evolved into a formalized Council in 2018, where Chandran’s team gathered over 50 commercial real estate and development professionals from a cross-section of disciplines and all levels of leadership to represent diverse voices and intersecting identities in the industry. The conversations that followed were intentionally designed to unpack diverse perspectives on centralizing diversity and equity as critical priorities in the industry. As a result, in 2019, a CRED industry playbook for diversity and equity was created and made available for industry leaders.
With the rise in hate and bigotry in 2020, the CREED Council paused its industry outreach to evaluate the direction of the platform. Through multiple discussions with diverse communities and grassroots organizations, CREED Council decided to take a different avenue to address the inequities within the CRED industry. CREED’s Council attention and investment were directed to working with diverse and underserved youth and community groups.
In 2023, CREED Council is purposeful with its mission to shift the narratives about diversity and further invest in pathways for diverse and underrepresented youth and professionals to access the CRED industry. We remain strong with our commitment to the transformation of the CRED industry.
Who We Are:
We are a cross-section of commercial real estate and development (CRED) professionals with diverse leadership tenures across Canada's Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Our areas of expertise encompass asset management, accounting, construction, development, facilities, finance, human resources, investments, leasing, legal, marketing, property management, and operations -all facets connected to and critically impact organizations and communities.