Gender Equality in Recruitment Processes

Gender balance isn't just about meeting quotas or ticking boxes; it's about harnessing the full spectrum of talent, perspectives, and experiences that both men and women bring to the table. Gender equality is essential for fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, which is a significant driver of success.

In construction and facilities management, it’s often felt that employing women, particularly into the field operations, poses too many difficulties, and I believe this attitude needs to change. As a signatory member of the UN Global Compact, RA International have made gender balance a vital aspect of our organizational and ESG strategy. I firmly believe that encouraging a diverse and inclusive workplace is not only the right thing to do but also a strategic imperative for our success at RA.

We are committed to providing equal opportunity for all and have a particular focus on including more women across our workforce. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) only 15.8% of the construction workforce in the UK are women. This translates to 1.8 million men and only 340,000 women. Similarly, The International Facility Management Association (IFMA), reports that women constitute around 22% of facility management professionals worldwide.

We, at RA, reached our four-year goal of 15% female participation already in 2021, from a baseline of 10% in 2019. As of now, female participation has risen to 17% with a target of 20% by 2027. ?

In the context of our business, this is a considerable achievement where cultural barriers and the prospect of international staff spending long periods away from home in challenging locations can discourage women from working with us. We employ women not only in our offices, where most women in the UK construction industry are employed, but also at field level in countries such as Somalia, South Sudan and the Central African Republic

For instance, during a construction project in Central African Republic, 69% of our workforce were females, a notable accomplishment in a challenging environment.?

Despite our efforts to encourage gender equality, we still have challenges to overcome. For example, we have set an ambitious target of gender parity at Management Level by 2027 in locations where there are no barriers to entry (UK, Kenya and Dubai). Our 2022 baseline was 35% and in 2023 it slipped to 24%. This change was partly due to a change in measurement but was also served as a wakeup call and highlights the need for more intentional and strategic efforts to meet our gender goals.

To meet these challenges an internal working group has been put in place, and the recruitment team has been given the task to implement changes to achieve better female recruitment and ensuring that job openings are being communicated effectively to local staff.

Our Board and our Executive Management Team emphasizes the importance of considering female candidates and promoting diversity more broadly. Hiring managers are, at times, demonstrating unconscious or conscious bias when hiring, particularly for jobs in the field. A conduct that we need to work on changing. ?

Why Gender Balance is crucial for RA International

I believe gender equality is crucial for the success of RA. Not only for economic reasons but also for creativity, innovation, and better and more inclusive decision-making.

Diverse teams, including those with gender balance, are proven to be more innovative and creative. When individuals from different backgrounds collaborate, they bring unique insights and ideas to the table, driving our ability to innovate, stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market and tackle complex challenges with agility.

Furthermore, having a gender-balanced team will help us make better decisions. Research consistently shows that diverse groups are more effective at problem-solving and decision-making, as they consider a wider range of perspectives and approaches. This is particularly important at RA where we often must make quick and often challenging decisions in the field where lives could be on the line. A gender-balanced team ensures that our decisions are well-rounded, ultimately leading to better outcomes.

In today's competitive job market, top talent is increasingly looking for employers that prioritize diversity and inclusion. By championing gender balance, we not only attract a broader pool of candidates but also retain our existing employees by creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. A diverse and inclusive workplace fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty, enhancing our ability to keep staff turnover low and maintain a stable and experienced workforce.?

It is also becoming increasingly recognised that companies that prioritize gender balance and diversity are viewed more positively by customers, investors, and other stakeholders. By demonstrating our commitment to gender equality, we strengthen our reputation as a responsible and forward-thinking organization, which can only have a positive impact on our brand.

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To reach gender equality on an international level

This year, the UN Global Compact launched a guidebook to encourage companies to empower women in the workplace. The report, “Women at Work", sheds light on the challenges and opportunities that companies face when encouraging gender balance. It focuses on the commitment of business leaders around the world to integrate gender equality into business strategies and governance, highlighting the important role of women when fostering sustainable businesses.

?The report does not only inform on current practices for gender equality but also calls to action for companies worldwide to intensify their efforts in fostering inclusive and equitable workplaces. There is an urgency and importance of building a business landscape that includes female participation. Especially since SDG Goal 5 is far from being achieved.

At the current pace, it will take 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace.

Greater efforts are also needed to address the differences between how much women and men are paid. According to the ONS, the overall UK gender pay gap is 14,3%, but for project managers in the construction industry the gap is a striking 21%.

It is still a?common misconception?within our industry that there are full of old-fashioned attitudes and societal perceptions about gender roles. However, thousands of exceptionally talented female construction workers and engineers are changing this perception.

With so many?rewards and benefits working with construction, facilities management, and logistics,there is plenty of room for skill development and career advancement.

Furthermore, attracting more women to a career in construction is vital to close the skills shortage. There are a range of roles available for women in construction, from engineering and architecture through to skilled trades and labourers. Women contribute with a diverse variety of skills which will benefit the entire construction industry.

As we are approaching 2030 it becomes clear that businesses, such as ours, needs to accelerate efforts to achieve gender equality. It is not only our responsibility, but it is the right way to advance and achieve success.

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Next steps to achieve gender equality

Achieving gender balance isn't something that happens overnight, and it requires a concerted effort from everyone – from the management team, to project managers and construction personnel.? For everyone to grow and succeed we need to create an inclusive work culture.

We are working a lot behind the scenes around our recruitment processes and policies. In the meantime, we are encouraging all our RA employees to actively support our efforts to promote gender balance - whether through taking an active approach to shortlisting female candidates, mentorship, or simply being mindful of our biases and assumptions.

Together, I hope that we can build a workplace that celebrates diversity, where everyone – man and woman - can thrive and succeed.

Soraya Narfeldt

CEO RA International