60 seconds with… Jessica Stewart (Managing Director Comm Comm UK)

‘Construction and the Built Environment sector will only benefit from being more diverse’

On International Women’s Day, data* shows the Construction and Built Environment industry, like many sectors, still has a way to go to demonstrate true diversity. For International Women’s Day, Catherine Street talks to Comm Comm Group MD Jessica about her experiences as a woman in planning communications.

Jessica has nearly 25 years’ experience in specialist communications for the built environment and her business works with clients as diverse as Chiltern Firehouse, Berkeley Homes, mosques and pension funds as well as City of London Corporation. Jessica’s new digital venture Comm Comm Digital builds on her expertise in town planning, media, brand building and local government, and she hopes it will increase transparency and trust in public consultation.

Catherine – *Stats published back in 2020 in the RCIS Property Journal show that of the more than 134,000 RICS members worldwide, women represented only 15 per cent, with the proportion dropping to around one per cent for professionals who are LGBTQ, BAME or people with disabilities. If we use this as a proxy for the wider industry, do you think property and built environment organisations are missing out on talent? And how have you found being a woman in a predominately ‘mans’ world?

Jessica – I have generally been extremely lucky to work with teams who have supported me and my abilities.  

There are so many people – men and women – across planning, landscaping, heritage, transport (to name just a few disciplines) who I deeply admire. Their passion and drive to professionalise our industry while boosting the perception of development inspires me every day.

However, there are still a few dinosaurs out there and we must always strive to do better to attract the widest range of people to help define what we want from our buildings, towns and cities.

Twenty years ago, I was almost always the only woman at the table and often labelled, and occasionally still am, the ‘PR girl’. But that is missing the point. It is true that PR is a communications discipline and I am female. However, I am highly specialist and have many years of experience. The job we do entails successful conflict resolution, mediation and communications in town planning and public consultation. We understand planning law and policy, politics and politicians, communities and their fears and concerns. We leverage huge profits for our clients with our skills, experience and fieldcraft.

It is no mean feat to get across the Very Special Circumstances of why development is appropriate within the Green Belt to a NIMBY audience, who eventually see the benefits of the scheme and remove their objections. I am pleased to say, most people now realise comms is vital from the outset rather than an add-on.

I founded Comm Comm UK, with the sole aim of doing good work with good people and we have succeeded because we are great at what we do. Does being a woman help? Maybe it does, but I think anyone who genuinely listens, is empathetic and builds relationships with people they meet through work and - above all -perseveres can and does succeed. I know many amazing women in the industry who do things their own way. And, by the way, they are often championed by their male colleagues, professional men who far out-number the dinosaurs. I do believe property is a good industry for women and things will only get better.

Catherine – What do you think has changed since you have been working in the industry?

Jessica – I think some clients and competitors still think it is ‘who you know not what you know’ that gets permission for building schemes. But no stalking the halls of Local Authorities or fireside chats in private members’ clubs will get our clients planning permissions that shouldn’t be got. The democratic processes that exist are rigorous but we need to be showing that more, making things easier to understand and building people’s experience in this area – we want more, and different, voices shaping our towns and cities especially now as COVID19 has changed our relationship with our locale so fundamentally.

My business uses tried and tested – and trusted – processes that have resulted in the best record in the industry for gaining consents. My approach is built on transparency and trust and it works.

Over the 25 years I have worked in planning and public consultation, I have found in the main there is a huge lack of understanding of what I do – very few people ‘get it.’ In a nutshell, what we do is break down barriers, listen and create a positive interface for two groups of people (communities and developers) with very different outlooks and expectations. We ensure that value is created for everyone involved. I am hoping that Comm Comm Digital will help to increase understanding, transparency and ultimately trust in the planning process.

Catherine – What inspires you about the future of our industry?

Jessica – Today, I am very pleased to say I am rarely the only woman at the table. At Comm Comm UK and across all my projects, I am surrounded by inspiring women who are seeking to innovate within the industry and set a high bar.

Although COVID-19 has been a challenging time for all business owners, I am extremely proud of how our team has persevered, adapted and innovated.

I am thrilled to be launching Comm Comm Digital later this month with Digital Managing Director Georgina Hardy. We believe consultation can lead to schemes that benefit the local community and deliver returns for our clients. Comm Comm Digital has been launched to spearhead a more efficient and user-centric way to engage as a developer, planning decision-maker or community member. We really see this is as the next step in making our industry more transparent.

At Comm Comm UK, our people are our power. The inclusive culture we have created over the past eight years is celebrated by the whole team. We listen to each other and our values and ethics sit at the heart of everything we do. We have some absolutely fantastic new projects that we can’t wait to get started on this year.