Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

A EDI Special Report and Charter

The business case for increasing diversity and inclusion in the construction industry could not be clearer. What we build should meet the needs of society. That is hard to achieve if we are not sufficiently diverse and, as an industry, do not reflect society.

Why EDI matters

The numbers within our report reveal that diversity and inclusion in construction is a matter of individual business survival. A growing body of evidence suggests that it is also a matter of business success.

That is the focus for this report and Charter: that the issue of diversity and inclusion is one of vital strategic importance for construction business leaders right now, and it sets out the steps they need to take to get their organisations moving in the right direction.

What we want to achieve

Getting moving in the right direction is the load-bearing idea here, because change cannot happen overnight. Most organisations that now enjoy enviable records on diversity and inclusion started from somewhere very different. It is a journey an organisation must start and involves changing cultures and processes over time within a given organisation’s unique context. This charter is intended to encourage the first step in that journey.

The five actions recommended here are not difficult in and of themselves but making all five work together over time to produce results will take thought and commitment.

Sign up to our Diversity and Inclusion Charter

Share your commitment to diversity and inclusion and sign-up to the CIOB's Charter and stay up to date with the work we are doing in this area. Over 230 companies have already signed up! You can see who they are at the bottom of this page. Any employer operating in the built environment anywhere in the world can sign-up and there’s no charge.

Sign our Charter

Find out more about our commitment to EDI

Download our Special Report and D&I Charter

CIOB Special Report Diversity and Inclusion in Construction (pdf 6630 kb)

You can take action

If you share our ambition to make this industry fairer and more open to others, then sign up to our Charter. You can use these 5 actions to make a difference in your organisation and encourage others to do the same.

1. Show Leadership

We will demonstrate visible senior leadership by highlighting the benefits of diversity and inclusion in both internal and external messaging and action.

2. Make a plan

We will create a plan including targets where appropriate, and any other action needed to: address under-representation; reduce identified pay gaps; and/or ensure equitable development and progression for all.

3. Shape the culture

We will prominently display messages promoting an inclusive culture and making it clear that inappropriate or discriminatory language or behaviour will not be tolerated.

Sign-up to our Diversity and Inclusion Charter

Sign our Charter

4. Be transparent

We will publish an annual report detailing the progress made against our targets and setting out our plans for the next 12 months.

5. Be accountable

We will show board-level accountability by assigning responsibility for these Charter commitments to the CEO or a named Director.

We will help you to make progress

Our Special Report of Diversity and Inclusion provides you with excellent examples of best practice from around the globe. These examples are aligned to each of the Charter’s five key commitments, helping you to understand how you can make progress on this critical agenda.

In addition to this guidance, we have launched our new Employers’ Forum on Diversity and Inclusion. The forum is an excellent opportunity to share challenges and successes in developing your approach to Diversity and Inclusion with like-minded employers who have committed to the five key steps set out in the CIOB Charter.

We will share examples of successful initiatives, best practice and lessons learned that will be helpful to all. We will also be looking for future opportunities to highlight your company’s commitment to the Diversity and Inclusion agenda. Participation in the Employer’s Forum is another benefit of becoming a signatory to our Charter.