Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO - June 2025

We have reached the midway point of the year, and across the world, we are seeing high impact work change the narrative around surveying. Globally we are working with members to build trust with the public, develop skills, raise standards, enhance regulation, and open new pathways to funnel talent into our profession. This month I’d like to give you a snapshot of some of the projects we’re delivering globally, and partnerships we’re building, all of which raise the standing of RICS surveyors, wherever you are.

APAC

• In India, we have a growing relationship with Google, which stemmed from our support in implementing the Whole life carbon assessment standard in its latest 650,000 square foot development. We’re also fostering partnerships with state government run technical institutions and private universities in India, in an effort to bridge the skills gap between academia and industry. The value of our Red Book is rising in the country, and we are strengthening adoption of the RICS Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) through local partnerships. This includes the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Council of Arbitration at our Parliament Square Office last week. The MoU strengthens institutional ties between India and the UK and supports faster, smarter, and more cost-effective resolution of commercial and construction disputes through institutional alternative dispute resolution.
• DRS has also grown its influence in Hong Kong, having been invited by the Hong Kong Development Bureau to support the formulation of new legislation. We also contributed to the development of supplementary guidelines for intellectual property (IP) valuation in Hong Kong.
• We are working with the Queensland and Victorian Governments to promote building control surveying as an attractive career option to school children, helping address the chronic skills shortages in this professional pathway in Australia.

MEA

• In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, RICS has been facilitating skills enhancement and standards adoption alongside our local members. We have been selected by The General Authority of Surveying and Geospatial Information (GEOSA) to advise on the development of a new regulatory framework and accreditation process for the profession in the country. This appointment recognises our reputation as the leading international professional body and independent self-regulator for the surveying profession, and represents an opportunity for RICS to establish its professional development and standards in a meaningful way in this market.

Americas

• In the United States, RICS has been collaborating with The Appraisal Foundation to recognise the role of international experience as part of its qualifying requirements. Valuation completed under International Valuation Standards (IVS), including Red Book, may soon count as qualifying experience for required state licensing, representing significant recognition of RICS and international standards in the US.
• RICS is working with the University of Technology, Jamaica, to develop a mentoring program that supports students as they explore careers in the built environment.

Europe

• RICS in Hungary is collaborating with the National Bank of Hungary and the Hungarian Banking Association to develop local best practices based on the RICS ESG Data List. This joint effort aims to support stakeholders—particularly within the finance and real estate sectors—by promoting a unified approach to ESG data collection and benchmarking.

UK

• Our influence and advocacy monthly update for May highlights our latest impact work in the UK. We joined forces with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to host the Built Environment Lounge at UKREiif - a dynamic hub for networking, thought leadership, and collaboration where we prioritised agreeing action to be taken on skills, housing and sustainability.

You can read more about how we’re increasing our impact in the UK and globally in our RICS annual review 2024, which was published last month. We welcome your participation as we continue this work. Wherever you are in the world you are invited to attend our AGM on 26 June and ask questions about our performance and activities. You can attend virtually or in person by registering here before 25 June and submit a question at the same time. You can also now contribute to our global Survey of the Profession. Please watch out for an email from our survey partner Savanta and let us know how RICS can best support you in your practice.  

Finally, at numerous RICS offices this month my colleagues and I will mark Pride month. We welcome the opportunity to celebrate the differences that strengthen our organisation and our profession and improve our impact on the world around us. Last month we reconfirmed our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding with our counterparts in the industry.  My thanks go to our internal Pride network for leading the celebrations, beginning with attendance at the Pride parade in Birmingham, and continuing throughout this month and into the next when we’ll be marching at London Pride.

In the coming weeks, there will be lots of opportunity for you, wherever you are in the world, to contribute towards change and progress in our organisation. Your input is essential as shape the profession of the future.