The benefits of diversity in the built environment

The hosts kick off the episode by diving into the positive impact of diversity on the industry, emphasising the value that diverse perspectives and ideas can bring to businesses and society. Aurora notes, "The built environment is for everyone. And the more inclusive the industry can become, the more it will serve the needs of its communities."

This idea highlights many of the campaigns to date that raise awareness of diversity within the sector, as without equity, the workforce that is designing and creating the built environment will struggle to align with the diverse needs of the communities that engage with it every day.

The challenge of achieving equality

There has been great transformation over the past three decades in the construction sector from increased awareness of EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) as an issue and an opportunity, to increased female representation. But Aurora acknowledges there are still many persisting issues like the gender pay gap and a glass ceiling for women slowing their career progression.

She brings attention to the fact that still today, only 2.7% of apprentices in the industry are women, which prompts the hosts to discuss Women in Property's outreach programmes. These initiatives aim to cultivate interest in careers in construction among female students and encourage a diverse influx of talent into the industry.

These initiatives are even more important when you consider that 20% of the current construction workforce are due to retire in the next 10 to 20 years. Aurora believes that alongside increasing diversity and inclusion within the sector, growing the talent pool through these initiatives will go some way to mitigate the effects of the retired workforce. She also believes increased digitalisation, and innovation will play an important role. In response to this, the Women in Property outreach initiatives aim to also introduce digitalisation concepts early on.

Insights from the National Equity and Inclusion Plan

Aurora's involvement in the steering group for the Construction Leadership Forum’s National Equity and Inclusion Plan adds another layer to the discussion. As the Inclusivity Champion for Women in Property, she shares insights into the challenges and successes of empowering diversity initiatives on a national scale through the Plan.

Aurora touches on the varying struggles faced by both large corporations and smaller SME subcontractors, emphasising the need for comprehensive government policies to support the growth of a more inclusive industry.

Prioritising intersectionality

Although there has been great progress within the sector over the past few decades around awareness of what diversity is and why it is important, Aurora believes that the conversation around EDI needs to widen out beyond gender-specific initiatives alone to encompass the multifaceted challenges faced by underrepresented groups in the construction industry. Initiatives should be intersectional and encompass the wellbeing and advancement of everyone.

"It's not just for women that we promote diversity; it's for everyone - to make sure we improve conditions for everyone with different needs.", she remarks.