As the Construction Inclusion Coalition (CIC) marks its first year of activity across the industry, its Chair, Angela Rushforth, is calling for more construction leaders to add their voice to the cause.

To mark National Inclusion Week – the theme of which is 'Impact Matters' – the CIC has published its first impact report, Together, it’s working, documenting the progress made by the organisations aligned to the CIC Built on Better Pledge during the first full year of the Coalition.

This report arrives in the wake of the collapse of Women into Construction and with the culture of the industry under intense scrutiny following the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Report.

As part of the coalition, more than 40 companies from across the sector have been working to address issues such as fostering an inclusive workplace culture, attracting and retaining diverse talent, and providing the platforms for employees to ‘speak up’.

Notable successes outlined in the report includes:

  • A number of Coalition partners successfully ensuring that recruitment panels and candidate shortlists are more diverse
  • Coalition members launching a range of forums to discuss female-focused issues
  • The introduction of new policies designed to address female-focused issues
  • A range of stand-out initiatives to provide a better understanding of different minority groups and their perspectives.

While these successes are to be applauded, they are not enough. So says CIC Chair Angela Rushforth, who is calling on business leaders from across the construction supply chain to do more and join the Coalition in modernising and improving the sector.

Angela Rushforth, who is also Managing Director of Toolstation, said: “Twelve months ago, we invited all construction businesses, regardless of size, to join the Coalition and to commit to improving ED&I across the sector through our Built on Better pledge.

“Despite the strong start we have made, now is the time for more vocal support from across the industry, and for leaders to join some of the fantastic organisations that have already committed their time, effort and voice to the CIC.

“As an industry we know we need to embrace a broader talent pool and to ensure construction is more accessible to everyone. This initiative isn't just about gender or minority representation. It's about building an inclusive industry that can meet the demands being placed upon it, while securing the future of the industry.

“The view of the CIC is that CEOs and construction industry leaders need to be allies to this common cause of enhancing gender and ethnic diversity within the sector, and that the need for greater diversity isn’t only a female or minority-led initiative, but an objective for all of us.

“As we mark National Inclusion Week with the publishing of our first Impact Report demonstrating how we are taking action, I'm incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, and I'm excited about the path ahead.”

This year’s National Inclusion Week's theme of Impact Matters is a call to action for all of those in an organisation to think about what actions they can take and what impacts these actions could and should have for marginalised people in the workplace.

In the coming twelve months the CIC will be looking at ways to increase the networking opportunities to share resources and develop a coalition strategy to drive greater impact in the sector.

On Tuesday 1st October the CIC will host the Coalition in Conversation Conference, sponsored by NMBS, and its largest event to date.

The CIC is calling on businesses across the construction industry – no matter how big or small – to join the Construction Inclusion Coalition and take the Built on Better pledge. Members will be part of an industry network sharing knowledge, resources, and insights to inspire change and make a difference collaboratively.