An Exploration Of The Current State Of Equality And Diversity In The UK Construction Industry

Many industries in the UK have embraced the Equality and Diversity agenda, including the UK construction industry, with a commitment to ensure broader representation. Despite the acknowledged commitments to improve diversity by many stakeholders in the construction industry, systemic inequalities in the representation of women and Blacks persist. This paper explores the current state of equality and diversity within the UK construction industry. The paper explores diversity in thirty-nine of some of the leading contractors in the UK. The paper is based on a detailed review of extant literature, with data collected through interviews, questionnaires, and publicly available information from major industry institutions and leading construction firms. The study shows that women and people from Black ethnic groups are grossly underrepresented within the UK construction industry both at the site level on projects and at the corporate leadership level. The paper confirms the UK construction industry’s reputation as a predominantly white-male-dominated sector. This extends to the corporate leadership and board levels with females making up less than a third of senior management, with only two Black females but no Black male representatives at this level. The paper provides compelling evidence about both the urgency and scale of the need for action. It is recommended that the construction industry must have a clear programme of action and execution plan, with commitment at the highest levels to ensure equality and diversity within the UK construction industry.<p></p>