Inspired to Act - BGO's Philanthropy Missions
BGO employees from across the global enterprise play a year-round, pivotal role in directing company resources towards organizations that are on the frontlines of progress. Their voices, ideas, and energy are the conscience and driving force behind BGO Inspired – our worldwide philanthropy and relationship nurturing program with the charitable community. Central to our charitable mission is to forge diversity, equity and inclusion partnerships with charitable organizations whose work is critical to healing underserved communities and seeding them with opportunities that inspire hope and uplift fortunes. BGO Inspired reflects our firm’s values and demonstrates our commitment to urgent action and decisive change through 4 key pillars of activity.
Pillar 1
Employee Inspired
NAIOP Vollyball Tournament
Employee matching
In support of the generosity that our employees show to organizations and charitable causes of their choosing, BGO matches individual donations dollar-for-dollar to double the impact
Venture Philanthropy
Our employees' desire to collaborate on initiatives that give back to their communities is a passion we are eager to harness. We've created a Venture Philanthropy program where teams of BGO employees can pitch for and be awarded funding to build out volunteer activities and community engagement opportunities with non-profit organizations of their choosing. Inspired by the charitable energy of our colleagues, the creativity and care of our colleagues combine to create meaningful outcomes for those in need.
Pillar 2
DEI Inspired
Project Destined NYC
ERG Inspired
BGO’s employee resource groups (ERGs) are specially curated internal forums for cross-cultural dialogue, understanding and education between members and allies. Through BGO Inspired, we are harnessing the power from the BGO Black Professionals Alliance, BGO Asian Network, BGO PRIDE and the BGO Women’s Network to build bridges with external organizations that share their values and deliver support where it is most needed.
The BGO Women's Network in Canada Raised $70,000 in Support of Breast Cancer for the CIBC Run For the Cure
The BGO Women's Network led over 100 of our colleagues from across Canada to participate in the Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure! #TeamBGO raised over $70K collectively in only a few short weeks and received multiple awards for Corporate Spirit and Top Fundraising status!
Teaching Matters
Leadership Inspired
Accountability for our firm’s DEI mission and firm values starts at the top, and every year, our global leadership team direct timely donations to organizations that serve the urgent needs of communities facing social hardship or calamity from natural disaster.
Pillar 3
Community Inspired
Local Giving Where it is Most Needed
Our offices around the world forge ties to their local communities that affirm our place as responsible and conscientious citizens. In the cities where we work and call home, we provide annual donations and volunteer time to organizations that are filling critical gaps in human welfare and social services that families rely on for their livelihood.
Toronto Real Estate Rally 2024
#TeamBGO Honored as Top Team Donor for JDRF
Team members from our offices in Bethesda and New York participated in the 2024 JDRF Real Estate Games to help defeat type 1 diabetes (T1D). Alongside firms from across the commercial real estate industry in the mid-Atlantic, BGO was named top donor out of 50 teams with over $20,000 raised. This perennial event for our local offices will continue to bring us together in support of a long-standing commitment we've made to helping to eradicate this disease.
Pillar 4
Globally Inspired
Habitat for Humanity
Lending a hand up in eco-friendly home construction projects builds a direct connection between our world and the needs of struggling but resilient families around the world. Every year, in cities where BGO is present, our teams are rolling up their sleeves and building or retrofitting homes that represent hope and belonging for the communities of tomorrow.
Habitat for Humanity is volunteers builds housing for people
Where We've built with Habitat for Humanity over the years
Habitat Build Day - GTA
Habitat Build Day - Los Angeles
Habitat Build Day - Montréal
Habitat Build Day - NYC
Habitat Build Day - Tokyo
Habitat Build Day - Vancouver
Tenure in Trees
In what has become a cherished annual tradition for BGO, at year-end we convert the time that our employees dedicate at work into something lasting and renewable. For every year of tenure that employees invest in our firm’s success, we plant a single tree. We are growing our mini-BGO forests around the world with over 100,000 trees planted to date and many more to come.