According to the Chartered Institute of Building, women make up just 15 per cent of the UK construction industry — and only two per cent of on-site construction workers. Meanwhile, BAME and disabled employees each account for as little as 6 per cent of the construction workforce.
Furthermore, in a 2018 Stonewall study about LGBTQ+ people in work, one third of LGBTQ+ workers in Britain had taken measures to avoid discrimination in the workplace by hiding their identity.
While there has been a shift in attitudes in the A&D and construction industry in the past few years towards fostering greater inclusivity and social change, there is still much work to be done.
From an innovation and growth perspective, companies should work to internally reflect the values of a widened talent pool and make our industry a more attractive one to work in for all.
Those that take steps to invest in building a strong culture that fosters inclusivity and equality, will be ideally placed to benefit from the advantages of having a diverse workforce.
Building Industry Knowledge
Taking this into consideration and to support the continued development of our industry in relation to these topics, Radii Planet Group is pleased to announce a new monthly seminar series:
Culture Change Within the Built Environment.
Taking place in the inspirational and collaborative environment of Manchester’s Material Source Studio, each after-work session will include an informative talk from a guest speaker before attendees break for informal networking and refreshments.
“At RPG, we recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and are committed in providing a working environment that is free from discrimination," said Carole Smith, RPG's Compliance, Risk & Sustainability Director.
"An inclusive and supportive foundation which supports the wellbeing of our employees is vital for both individuals and our business and we have worked hard to implement a number of corporate policies which set out our commitments to support those who may be affected by discrimination, including, amongst others, members of the BAME and LGBTQ+ communities, disabled individuals and menopausal women.
"We take steps to ensure that we employ, train and promote employees on the basis of their experience and ability and appreciate that treating employees fairly, recognising individual talents, needs and contributions, is not only morally right but makes sound business sense.”
Seminar Schedule
This series of six seminars aims to provide the A&D community with a holistic overview on a set of key topics centred around the development of cultural change and social inclusion in the construction industry.
Culture Change Within The Built Environment: Understanding…
- …Menopause (Thurs 13 October) – with d line
- …Racism (Thurs 24 November) - with d line
- …Imposter Syndrome (Thurs 19 January)
- …LGBTQ+ (Thursday 16 February)
- …Gender Equality (Thursday 9 March)
- …Wellbeing (Thursday 13 April)
Timings:
- 1730-1800 arrivals
- 1800-1900 seminar session
- 1900-close networking & refreshments
Spaces for each seminar are limited - register for each event in the Culture Change Within the Built Environment seminar series through our Eventbrite listing as they become available.
