Mr Southern joined over 250 other CEO’s at the Sydney event, curling up with little other than some cardboard bedding at Luna Park to raise awareness of the more than 100,000 Australians facing homelessness.
Mr Southern said that by sleeping rough he was able to gain a confronting insight into homelessness and raise community awareness and much needed funds for Vinnies homeless services.
“I spent a wet and cold Sydney night in the elements, struggling to find shelter in order to get some sleep. In the early hours of this morning, lying on wet cardboard in an increasingly saturated sleeping bag, I reflected on the injustice that over 100,000 Australians face homelessness every night. The cause of ending homelessness is a tremendous one and is very tangible in our cities and on our streets,” Mr Southern said.
Of the 1,200 CEOs who participated in the event nationally, Mr Southern was among the top ten fundraisers, which he attributed to the generosity and compassion of the CBRE community.
“Over 80% of the donations I received were from CBRE staff, which is a true testament to the strong philanthropic spirit that exists within CBRE,” Mr Southern said.
“The generosity displayed by our people is a real expression of what they represent as individuals in society, not just within the company.”
To boost fundraising efforts, an auction was staged at CBRE’s Pacific Leadership Conference on May 25, with 60 of CBRE’s senior personnel rallying together to raise $32,350.
Staff donated a range of items to auction on the night, including vintage champagne, sporting memorabilia, a chauffeured transfer in a 1963 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud and the top prize of three nights’ accommodation at Qualia on Hamilton Island, which sold for $5,000.
The auction, which was hosted by CBRE Executive Managing Director, Metropolitan Investments, Scott Gray-Spencer, also included some more creative items, including a year’s supply of Tim Tams and a Fender Stratocaster air guitar signed by Ace Frehley (with lessons and a case thrown in to sweeten the deal).
CBRE Managing Director, SA, Alistair Laycock will also be completing the Sleepout and will be joining other Adelaide business leaders in spending a night outside at Adelaide Zoo on June 25. Alistair has raised over $5,000, making him one of the top 20 fundraisers in South Australia.
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CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (in terms of 2014 revenue). The Company has more than 52,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 370 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.
