Construction Management is the highest circulation construction-based publication serving the UK built environment.
Opinion
Construction must embrace real diversity if it wants change
Caroline Gumble CIOB
Commitment to modern professionalism and an inclusive approach will be necessary to meet society’s evolving needs, writes Caroline Gumble.
CIOB’s plan includes a focus on measures to encourage a more representative workforce
Our virtual Members’ Forum meeting a few weeks ago was a great opportunity to share updates on the progress of our corporate plan themes.
As CIOB members know by now, we have three areas of focus in our current plan: environmental sustainability, quality and safety, and the skills gap, including measures to encourage a more representative workforce.
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We’re also at a key moment in time with this corporate plan: 2025 marks the mid-point of delivering on the work outlined in the document and I want to reflect on the overarching theme of modern professionalism and its direct links to work on the skills gap and culture change in the sector.
Some of our recent activities to attract people into construction and help address the skills gap include:
Contributions to cross-sector panels bringing together best practice on what works in attracting and retaining people in this industry.
The launch of CIOB People as a platform to share stories from industry practitioners and insights into people development and recruitment.
Our BE Inclusive event last year, held with some of our sister professional bodies, focusing on disability inclusion in the workplace.
A new technical information sheet on Diversity and Inclusion, free to members, providing SMEs with guidance on how they can support a more inclusive industry.
Continued promotion of our EDI charter, plus the publication of case studies from those who are signed up to it.
I wrote back in 2022 that we need to recognise that culture in the industry won’t change until we have embraced some real diversity. It’s a true strength to have diversity of thought within an organisation and, frankly, it’s a business imperative – and this is where the link with modern professionalism is so clear.
A more inclusive approach delivers more robust decision-making, which provides a better built environment for those creating it and those using it.
In the context of the headlines from our corporate plan, the culture change we want for this fantastic industry – ensuring quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do – can only come from embracing modern professionalism and acknowledging that we’re aiming to meet changing societal needs and a growing population.
For some, that must also mean more change within the industry and more commitment to an inclusive approach – there is no doubt it is in all our interests to make construction openly and visibly accessible to everyone.
The January/February 2026 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
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