Inclusion and Diversity
“What makes them very different from their competitors is the percentages of male and female graduates. CGL were the first SME in the construction industry to gain their UKRC Achieving award.”
Women’s Business Council
Engendering diversity is not about a policy but about cultures and actions. CGL committed to be at the forefront of opportunities for women in construction in 2008 and since then we have maintained our gender balance close to 50:50 while tripling in employees.
Although CGL is an SME without the financial clout of bigger companies, we believe we can influence employment practices in industry by making ourselves available for studies of our culture and methods. We were the first SME signatory of the 10 Steps initiative by WISE and the only SME used by the RAEng in 2015 as a case study for diversity initiatives. In 2016-17 we were one of only 10 companies used by the RAEng to look at inclusivity in the engineering profession for the next generation and we were proud to share our company culture.
Our free publication, The Female Face of Civil Engineering illustrates our company approach to taking the lead in diversity and inclusion. Announced on National Women in Engineering Day 2016 by our most senior technical director, it showcases careers for women in the construction industry specifically for 14-16 year olds. The booklet highlights past and present CGL female staff plus friends and colleagues across the industry in a language and style designed to appeal to young women. The publication works by showing real women from a variety of backgrounds in a variety of roles to address directly the mistaken belief by students, and their families, that engineering is “not for girls”.
We planned and designed The Female Face of Civil Engineering for launch on GCSE results day and sent it to schools and careers organisations. It received support from the ICE, WISE and WES as well as politicians. CGL funded the design and printing of artwork for hard copies plus distribution of online version. We believe it demonstrates what can be done by an SME of limited means to influence the profession to be diverse and inclusive in its character for future generations.
CGL’s approach to diversity has been recognised by others during our accreditation for Investors in People Gold Award, winning Ground Engineering Consultancy of the Year and winning the diversity champion award for our work on gender equality.
CGL’s initiatives to improve inclusion and diversity are recognised by:
