Diversity and inclusion

The ECITB is committed to leading industry learning, promoting diversity of thought and cultivating inclusion. We believe these are the cornerstones of organisational change and progress. We need to forge an industry culture where everyone can belong.

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Why equity, diversity and inclusion are so important

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Our industry sectors are at the forefront of progress in the journey to net zero and have a vested interest in harnessing the benefits that a more diverse and inclusive talent pool can provide. This includes a broader range of views and experiences that not only increase performance but also unlock that vital innovation.

Diversity and inclusion are the seeds of change, which given the right investment, the right support from organisational leadership and the right conditions in which to grow, become exactly what we need them to be – drivers for positive change.

One of the greatest challenges for engineering construction is the increasing demand for skills and a substantial increase in the number of people required to deliver net zero-critical projects.

If we are to achieve success in attraction and retention, we must put a focus on enhancing positive and inclusive workplace cultures to help industry attract and retain new recruits from every walk of life.

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan

Championing equity, diversity and inclusion is a key strategic objective for the ECITB.

There are many facets of diversity. There is also a lack of diversity across engineering construction in many areas, although data to underpin that fact is sparse beyond gender and age. Some facets are visible, but not all.

Different facets also intersect so any individual will belong within several groups. It is wrong to assume that the group sharing a characteristic is an homogenous entity. For example, two women or men could face very different experiences or barriers because they have different ethnicity, disability or parental responsibilities. The support that would help them both achieve the same equality of opportunity will be different.

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Action Plan sets out our objectives for this strategy period to progress towards our goal.

Our key aims during this strategy period are:

Stimulate knowledge sharing and support opportunities.
Encourage collection of diversity data to drive action.
Work with partners to widen the diversity of participation on ECITB new entrant schemes.
Improve the collection of actionable diversity metrics for ECITB training programmes.

Read our ED&I Action Plan

Together with industry

Engineering Construction D&I Network

The cross-sector ED&I network will gather on a quarterly basis and will explore various key themes around the subject of D&I. We will showcase industry examples of good D&I practice, host talks and knowledge shares by D&I experts and provide a forum for discussion and collaboration amongst in-scope employers on ED&I related campaigns and projects.

To join the network, please contact your Relationship Manager or Mat Parker, Head of Careers & Inclusion, at mat.parker@ecitb.org.uk

IDEA taskforce

To mark its commitment to bring about change across the industry workforce, the ECITB created an Inclusion, Diversity, Equality Action taskforce (IDEA).

IDEA has been established to help ensure diversity and inclusion awareness is embedded across ECITB training standards, to help raise awareness and showcase diversity in action.

To find out more or to connect with IDEA please contact IDEA@ecitb.org.uk

Our partners

The ECITB is proud to have strategic partnerships with The Association of Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK) and the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei)

AFBE-UK provides support and promotes higher achievements in Education and Engineering particularly among students and professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds.

ENEI is the UK’s leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.

The ECITB is a proud supporter of the Tomorrow’s Engineers Code, a community of over 300 organisations working toward common goals to increase the diversity and number of young people entering engineering and tech careers.

We believe that by working with our partners and being able to draw on their experience and insights, it will help us make engineering construction a place where everyone can belong.

AFBE-UK aims to challenge and inspire people of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) origin to make enhanced contributions in their respective fields, and to add value to their communities using engineering as a platform.

Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers

A UK-based, not-for-profit organisation that helps employers build and maintain diverse teams and inclusive cultures through our membership, training, and consultancy services.

The Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion

The Tomorrow’s Engineers Code is a community of over 300 organisations working toward common goals to increase the diversity and number of young people entering engineering and tech careers.

Tomorrow's Engineers Code

ED&I case studies and campaigns

Learn more about our work in ED&I from case studies, previous campaigns and press releases.

Are we creating space for women in engineering and construction?

We caught up with Jennifer Kerr, Project Performance and Business Improvement Manager at Subsea7, to find out more about her career journey, how she balances her work with having a young family and how she finds being a woman in the Engineering Construction Industry.

The pathway to project management, taking the road less travelled

Black History Month 2022

See page 59 where Chinwe Odili, Project Engineer at Kent, talks about her perspective and the advice she would give to her younger self.

Black History Month 2022

eSTEAMd Women podcast

Khaoula Daoud, member of the ECITB Innov8 group joins award winning engineer and television presenter Dr Shini Somara.

eSTEAMd Women Podcast – Khaoula Daoud

INWED 2022

As part of the world’s biggest initiative to celebrate the achievements of women in engineering and our allied roles across our sector we assembled a group of pioneers, forward thinkers and change makers to reflect on an unfinished journey.

INWED Roundtable 2022

A passion for STEM and a chance encounter with engineering

To celebrate the International Women in Engineering Day 2023 (INWED), ECITB’s Deputy Director of Strategy & Policy, Jenny Young shares her views on being a chartered engineer for almost 40 years.

A passion for STEM and a chance encounter with engineering

eSTEAMd Women podcast

Chinwe Odili, member of the ECITB Innov8 group joins award winning engineer and television presenter Dr Shini Somara.

eSTEAMd Women Podcast – Chinwe Odili

Useful links and information

The ECITB works closely with a number of organisations to keep informed and demonstrate our commitment to underrepresented groups in the engineering construction industry. Below is a list of organisations that we recommend researching when taking action related to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Equal Engineers Working towards a better, more diverse, inclusive and equal engineering and technology sector since 2017.

INWEDPromoting the amazing work that women engineers across the globe are doing.

STEM ReturnersSTEM Returners programmes help employers recruit, develop and retain the best available talent, enabling highly qualified and experienced STEM professionals to re-start their career or transfer their skills.

MyPlusMyPlus provides progressive employers and individuals with disabilities with the confidence, insight and support they need to realise new possibilities.

LGBTQIA+ resources

Here, you’ll find information including mental health support, community groups and educational materials to support LGBTQIA+ people who work in the engineering construction industry.

MindFor over 70 years, Mind has provided vital services, including helplines, local support, and information resources, to empower individuals and promote mental well-being.

LGBT HeroLGBT HERO (Health Equality and Rights Organisation) supports over 100,000 individuals monthly through trusted information, advice, and various forms of support, including one-to-one, group, and peer-support.

MindOutMindOut is a UK-based mental health charity run by and for LGBTQ+ individuals. Founded in 1999, it offers services such as low-cost counseling, peer support groups, advocacy, and an online support chat.

GalopGalop has been working with LGBTQIA+ victims and survivors of abuse and violence for more than 40 years.

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