Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leader

This award recognises a consulting firm within the construction and civil engineering industry that champions equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as part of their business focus. The entry should demonstrate how a specific policy, or set of policies, has been introduced to promote fair opportunities for a diverse workforce. The entry should also explain why and how EDI policies have a positive impact on the business and the services the business provides.

Amey

Amey values inclusion, safety, and wellbeing as drivers of performance and growth. The Amey Code and our ESG strategy provide clear direction and goals for enhancing diversity, upskilling employees, and supporting the wider community, achieving IIP Gold/Gold and Disability Confident Leader status in 2023. Amey recruits talent from various backgrounds and sources, such as returners, refugees, veterans, and people with disabilities, offering internships and progression opportunities for STEM professionals. Our technical Progression Framework supports career advancement for all, regardless of background. We provide leadership and active allyship training for our teams, enhancing our inclusive culture. Amey Consulting’s Shadow Board provides our ELT access to diverse views and influences key agendas. Shadow Board representatives provide feedback and ideas from the whole business. In 2023 they helped us improve our policies on inclusion, environment and skills development. An industry thought leader on EDI, we share best practice and collaborate across the sector.

AtkinsRéalis

To meet the challenge of creating a better future for the planet and its people, we must attract the best talent from a diverse range of backgrounds to promote innovation. It’s also the right thing to do! We call on the industry to work together to achieve a diverse workforce. Our Different Makes a Difference strategy is focused on achieving this. Delivering a step-change in our culture through allyship, with targets linked to our extended leadership teams’ annual performance-related pay and our sustainable lending loans showing our commitment and providing focus. We take our role externally seriously, sharing what we have learned and championing diversity in everything that we do. In January 2024, AtkinsRéalis became the first engineering company to achieve the Clear Assured Platinum accreditation and is one of only three companies in the UK to achieve this standard.

Ground & Water

At Ground & Water, we have equality and diversity at the top, which is rare and something we’re immensely proud of and keen to promote throughout the organisation and beyond. We exist to build sustainable communities in the UK and beyond, through better ground engineering, “Better living, engineered”. We believe change happens when you become the agent of change. We are small but mighty in our passion to make a positive impact. We’re a supporter of women in the workplace, gender equality, creating decent work, economic growth and building sustainable communities. For us, that’s ensuring as leaders, we look after our team, alongside becoming role models and thought leaders in the industry and create a sustainable and responsible business. Dipalee’s purpose is to work towards Gender Equality (UN SDG5). She’s passionate about inspiring and empowering girls, women, and women of colour into the industry and supporting them in their careers.

Mine Environment Management

Mine Environment Management Ltd. (MEM) is a small and innovative environmental engineering consultancy which emphasises sustainability and ethical performance within the mining sector. In 2023, MEM grew to ten employees, comprising seven nationalities, a 70:30 female to male split, and an age distribution of 22 to 59. 40% of the team work on a part time basis. MEM is keen to continue to support the progression of women in STEM subjects, with the Company having fully supported two team members through the Women In Mining Mentorship Programme, and offering MSc placements (seven since 2019, of which five were female, four nationalities). Over the same period MEM generated 19 publications, with an 8:11 female to male split of lead author. Within the MEM team is a mentor for the EQUATOR project, working to improve access and participation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic students in Geography, Earth and Environmental Science research.

WSP

WSP strives to represent the diverse societies we build legacies for. Driven by our D&I Strategy (2021-2024), inclusion is the golden thread throughout WSP’s processes and project delivery, creating inclusive working environments where everyone feels respected, valued and accepted. Focusing on inclusive recruitment throughout 2023, we are changing the shape of our business, seeing an increase in representation from women and minority ethnic colleagues across all quartiles of our business. In 2023, we were awarded Gold membership by the 5% club, with 10.9% of our UK workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions (8.2% in 2021), demonstrating WSP’s commitment to building a workforce for the future. WSP strives to create an empowering and diverse culture through inclusion. The journey never ends, but small tangible steps forward and the everyday behaviours we see from our people is what counts.