Earlier this month, Willmott Dixon signed Property Week’s Inspiring Diversity in Property campaign pledge. Andrew Geldard, chief communications officer at Willmott Dixon, spoke to Stephanie Denton about why it signed and what the pledge means to the company.
Why did you decide to sign the Property Week Inspiring Diversity in Property pledge?
It fits neatly with what we are already doing. It also helps to further put equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) on the boardroom agenda and will allow us to share ideas and best practice with peers.
How important is it to have a diverse company?
We already know from respected reports from companies like McKinsey that diverse teams perform better. As an industry, it is also fundamental to our future to have access to a wider pool of talent.
Are there any areas of the pledge that you have already addressed, or think will be easy to address?
We’re tackling all the key areas. From recruitment, through to our culture and people polices, are all designed to create a workplace where EDI thrive. This includes an aspiration to achieve 50/50 gender parity by 2030. We’re at 31/69 (female/male). We have a Diversity Steering Group which meets regularly to continue pushing this through our business.
What areas might be harder to tackle?
Getting more people from ethnic minorities into our business, that’s a big focus, so we have a workforce that is representative of all of UK society
Is there anything other firms could learn from you in terms of tackling diversity issues?
We love to share ideas and statistics on what we have done in areas like agile working and initiatives to encourage more women into our company. We are seeing parity in genders when it comes to applying to our graduate scheme, so perceptions of the construction/property industry have changed a lot in 10 years
What do you see as the most important area for the sector to tackle in terms of diversity?
One is reaching out and attracting the best people to choose our sector for a lifelong career. Another is creating a workplace where people from all backgrounds feel comfortable and can thrive. Also being visible; we actively work to promote our industry in the best guides for EDI, like The Times Top 50 employers for Women and also appearing in the FT’s Diversity Leaders list for several years running.
On 5 October 2023 Property Week’s inaugural Inspiring Women in Property Awards took place at the Hilton London Metropole.
Learn about the winners here.
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