We are proud to announce that Willmott Dixon Interiors has partnered with Black Professionals in Construction (BPIC) to deliver Sharing workshops, to improve representation from ethnically and racially diverse communities in construction.
BPIC Network is an inclusive business working in the construction industry to help organisations improve ethnic minority representation as well as retention. They provide guidance on inclusion, career opportunities and training, as well as networking events. Their vision is to facilitate careers in construction, and work with organisations to improve their diverse representation.
We have made great strides towards improving diversity and have an aspiration to achieve gender parity across all management levels by 2030. We were recently recognised as a Top 50 employer for women by The Times for the fourth year in a row. However, we recognise that there is more to be done to improve representation in the construction industry from ethnically and racially diverse communities and are on a mission to better understand the part we can play.
Willmott Dixon Interiors is proud to work in partnership with BPIC Network to deliver a two-month programme consisting of 8 workshops focused on listening and understanding. The workshops will capture the personal experiences of employees, supply chain partners and construction graduates in the London and Midlands region.
We are working to improve pathways for underrepresented groups in the workplace and to continually develop a culture that is inclusive for our workforce. The outcome of the workshops will inform a Race and Ethnicity action plan that will be developed to improve the recruitment and retention of people from underrepresented backgrounds.
Graham Shaw, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon Interiors said:
“We place diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything we do to enable our workplace to be an environment where our people feel challenged, content and included. We believe that diverse, complementary teams deliver the best results for everyone. Through our partnership with BPIC we look forward to exploring ways in which we can be a truly inclusive and diverse employer and attract the best talent”
Commenting on this partnership, Amos Simbo, Director of BPIC Network, said:
“Supporting people into employment and beyond is important to us as we want to see a more inclusive workforce that reflects the cities we live and work in. The UK is a melting pot of different cultures and one of the most diverse cities in the world and we want to see the workplace be a melting pot of cultures too. We look forward to working with Willmott Dixon Interiors in delivering these workshops.”
Together with BPIC, we aim to tackle any barriers that are creating inequalities within the workplace. BPIC Network help to create safe and confidential spaces to openly communicate what those involved may be afraid to voice to the business. They will then subsequently work with us to address any potential issues and create an action plan. The learnings will be shared across the whole of Willmott Dixon.
If you are an employee, Supply chain partner or customer of Willmott Dixon, look out for communications on how to be a part of these workshops.
To find out more about our efforts towards a diverse and inclusive business, click here.