FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
Willmott Dixon is marking this year’s International Women’s Day on 8 March with a new initiative to increase the number of women on its sites working in the seven trades of M&E, drylining, façades (cladding and brickwork), framework, groundwork, carpentry and roofing.
Called the 1% Initiative, it sees the company team up with supply chain partners from these key areas to increase the proportion of women from trades on Willmott Dixon’s projects.
It comes after the company’s analysis found that less than one per cent of the supply chain workforce from the main trades on its sites are women.
Increasing that proportion by one per cent each year will see a step change in numbers, with an increase of 86 women targeted for 2025, followed by similar percentage rises year-on-year.
Industry figures show that while women make up around 15% of the construction workforce, approximately 340,000 in total, representation in trades is just 1%, according to figures from the Lighthouse Club.
That is something Willmott Dixon says it aims to change. James Vosper from Willmott Dixon’s National Supply Chain team explained: “While the industry is making huge strides towards having a more diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of society, there is still more we can do, and this is reflected in the number of women working on construction sites for the key trades.
“The 1% Initiative intends to change this through a collaborative and supportive approach with our supply chain partners where we work together to increase the number of women working in trades on our sites.”
Areas of focus include the company’s social value team identifying work experience and industry placements within key trade partners, supporting more apprenticeships, recruiting former armed services people, as well as creating upskilling opportunities for ex-offenders.
There will also be a campaign to highlight the great role models working on Willmott Dixon projects alongside outlining the career opportunities available within the supply chain, including project management, surveying and health and safety.
It comes as Willmott Dixon targets gender parity across its own workforce by 2030. Currently the percentage of women at the company is 33%, and its progress here has been recognised in the 2025 FT Diversity Leaders list five times, where it was the UK’s best ranked construction company for 2025, and saw the company included in The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality 2024 guide.
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