A new report from law firm Cripps has highlighted the extent of gender bias and disparity encountered at the executive level of real estate.

Cripps conducted a survey of 101 female C-suite bosses and founders as the basis of the research, including 20 from the real estate sector.

Victoria Symons, a partner at the law firm, stated that the research showed achieving gender parity “remains a pressing issue”.

It found that 100% of those within real estate had experienced some form of gender bias in the workplace.

The same percentage had identified professional barriers to progression to leadership, such as organisational or governmental policy.

The most common gender biases encountered were unequal pay, microaggressions and gender role assumptions, with 50%, 40% and 35% of respondents stating they had experienced those respectively.

These figures were also notably higher in real estate than in the wider world of work across the UK.

However, the report found gender bias across the business sectors more generally, with 62% of owners and founders experiencing professional barriers to career progression and business growth.

Around 26% cited ‘taking a career break to start a family’ as a barrier to career progression, while 37% said gender bias experienced in the workplace had hindered confidence in their work.

The report used the survey’s findings to make recommendations on how to improve gender parity in the workplace, including mentorship and networking opportunities, mandated gender bias training and diverse hiring and promotion practices.

At a policy level, Cripps’ report recommends strengthening compliance with anti-discrimination laws, improving access to mentorship and training and enhancing childcare provisions, including pay for both parents.

It also suggests introducing board and middle-management quotas, and creating a dedicated government venture capital vehicle for female-led ventures. Currently, for every £1 of equity investment in the UK, only 2p goes to fully female-founded businesses.

Symons said: “In today’s business landscape, achieving gender parity remains a pressing issue. Female leaders and entrepreneurs face unique challenges, from funding disparities to male-dominated networks and juggling the competing demands of work and life.

“By addressing these challenges, we can create a more equitable environment that allows businesses to thrive, benefitting everyone regardless of gender. We hope this report takes a crucial step towards understanding these issues and implementing meaningful solutions.”

Property Week’s annual Top 40 Best-Paid Executives report this year saw the number of women to make the list rise from three to six, with Hammerson chief executive Rita-Rose Gagné the first woman to make the top five.