The Construction Inclusion Coalition is set for a busy 2025. The skills gap, inclusivity and equity in the construction industry and the supply chain has become a key issue of conversation as the industry looks to meet the demand for new homes and infrastructure. CIC Chair and Toolstation managing director, Angela Rushforth, guides us through the key activity underway this year, and takes a look ahead to International Women’s Day 2025.
Maybe it is in the spirit of ‘new year, new start’ but I have noticed a definite step change in the way the industry is discussing issues around diversity, equity and inclusion. With the government beginning to lean on the construction sector to help deliver its growth agenda, and with the industry looking to put some tough trading years behind us, necessity might be the mother of invention when tackling gender equity and inclusion across the sector. The CIC has argued since our formation in 2023 that achieving a greater gender and diversity balance across our businesses is no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a necessity for the future financial prosperity of our sector.
Research from Deloitte revealed that workplace cultures that were both diverse and inclusive achieved eight times better overall business outcomes, and were six times more innovative as organisations than those with homogenous teams. It feels like this is a position more and more key companies in our sector are taking up. The CIC has joined a number of influential bodies from across the built environment to accelerate the drive towards a more inclusive sector. Led by the Construction Leadership Council, the CIC sits alongside organisations including B.E. Inclusive Collective, Building People, Construction Industry Council (the other CIC!), D&I Forum – Construction and Infrastructure, and the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS) on a steering group devising a sector wide strategy that will deliver a consolidated approach to achieve an inclusive, representative, welcoming built environment that is a career of choice for all.
We’re excited to see how this initiative develops, but the important point is that discussions are now developing into tangible action. We were able to take up the invitation of the BMF to support the launch of the Building Material Careers programme at the Houses of Parliament in early February. The CIC will support every campaign that looks to attract talented people to our sector. However, with recent data from the SCSS showing that many job candidates from diverse backgrounds are actually lost during the recruitment process and many who gain a role do not remaining in the industry, our businesses need to relook at our ED&I initiatives and make sure our practices and behaviours are inclusive of everyone. The CIC is committed to working with our members to drive cultural and workplace change so we can create a more inclusive industry where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive. Getting this right is essential to addressing the skills gap and meeting the Government’s housing targets.
On 12th February the CIC held its first Elevate Network session of 2025, with more than 50 people attending a day of discussion and networking at Bristan Group HQ in Tamworth. I was thrilled to speak to so many enthused and inspiring people from across our Coalition membership throughout the day. This was the first face to face event for the Elevate Network so the advice to ‘find your tribe’ and be authentic resonated among this like-minded group.
The session also threw up the scale of the challenge we still face in the industry with a workshop on unacceptable behaviour and micro-aggressions faced by our colleagues on a regular basis. Some of the examples included female leaders assumed to be the junior colleague at meetings with external contacts, non-inclusive behaviour at work events such as heavy drinking and offensive comments, and workplace attitudes leading to female team members always being asked to take meeting notes or make the tea.
We need action and allyship from our male colleagues to push back against this kind of behaviour and to call it out when it is seen. Not an easy thing to do, but sometimes we need to show some necessary courage.
This year International Women’s Day is asking us to accelerate action to forge a world where difference is valued and celebrated. It is a sentiment that I thoroughly agree with, and I will continue striving to improve a sector that can be free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination that in the long term is of a detriment to all our prosperity.
So do keep talking about these issues, but the quickest way to get the result you want is to start doing. The members of the Construction Inclusion Coalition are working together to enhance the impact of our individual diversity initiatives, by nurturing collaboration and establishing a network to share knowledge and resources across the industry, and co-creating solutions that will make a difference for member businesses. And we want you to be part of it. Visit www.builtonbetter.uk to get involved.
This article was originally featured in the March edition of BMF’s One Voice Magazine.
