"To enable our company to be a place where employees feel challenged, content and included, we have placed equality and diversity at the heart of everything we do. We have long held the belief that diverse, complementary teams are the most effective and this belief is embedded in our values."

Rick Willmott, Group Chief Executive, Willmott Dixon

Reaching out to all parts of society

We believe a diverse workforce that contributes across all levels of our company is essential to our future.

The ability of people from all backgrounds to thrive and enjoy rewarding careers with us is very important for our success. We want the construction industry to attract equal numbers of men and women in what we believe is the best sector to work in! As you can see from the film below, it's a strategic priority championed by group chief executive Rick Willmott.

Rick Willmott, Jonathon Porritt and Julia Barrett talk about how we are addressing diversity:

To ensure we benefit from the skills and talent available in all sections of society, our aim is to have gender parity in our workforce by 2030.

We have a diversity steering group and local action groups, in order to address both the gender balance and enhance diversity within our company and industry. This involves a cross section of the business working with senior management on ideas and initiatives that make our company a destination for people keen to make their mark and live and enjoy a healthy work/life balance.

Achieving our aim includes how we reach out to the next generation, such as our management trainee intake - the future leaders. Our target is to recruit 50 per cent women to our management trainee programme each year. In 2022, 48% of our management trainees are women.

Retaining the best

We're proud of the career openings we provide - hear from some of our women in construction in the films below.

For the second year, we are the lead partner with Construction News on its Inspire Me campaign aimed at promoting greater diversity and an increase in women with senior-level leadership roles in construction. As lead partner, we are proud that Julia Barrett is an Inspire Me ambassador.