Working at a company where everyone can be themselves

BAM has considerable ambitions in the area of diversity and inclusion. In an ever-changing world, it's essential for our company to continue to grow and develop. And we are taking very positive steps, says diversity and inclusion specialist Alice Jennison on on. The active, open attitude being developed at BAM, where the focus is on creating an organisation in which everyone can be themselves inspires her, every single day.

Alice recently joined Royal BAM Group. Since April 2024, she has been fulfilling the role of Diversity & Inclusion Specialist. In this role, she shares her recommendations from her previous experience in this area and supports BAM in the growing process of diversity and inclusion.?

Alice is therefore new to BAM but not to the construction world, and the theme of diversity and inclusion has already been her field of work for the past eight years – on the construction site, in the office environment and in the boardroom.

Alice, you are taking a fresh look at what D&I means at BAM. What is your first impression??

‘I find the ambition with which we implement diversity and inclusion throughout the organisation striking. BAM’s focus on diversity and inclusion dates back to at least 2018, and we are continuing to progress. This was one of the main incentives for me to continue my career here in particular. Not only does the company have high ambitions, but D&I is fully integrated into our strategy ‘Building a sustainable tomorrow’. BAM is convinced that D&I is essential for a strong and healthy company, a company where people enjoy working and can get the best out of themselves. And this ultimately translates into a strong market position. Plenty studies show companies with D&I high on their agenda perform better, develop faster and are more appealing to motivated professionals.’?

‘It’s not only about recognising these differences, but also respecting and embracing them.’

What is D&I, in your opinion??

‘For me, diversity means recognising the differences in perspective and experience that people bring to BAM. Differences relating to social background, education, origin, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age ... you name it. It’s not only about recognising these differences, but also respecting and embracing them. Inclusion is the translation of this into practice. The point is to give these different perspectives and experiences the scope to further shape BAM. This helps us to make the best decisions. Diversity and inclusion go hand in hand, just like health and safety. You need both to ensure a sustainable, high-performing company in which all colleagues feel at home.’?

How do you think BAM is doing in this area??

‘BAM is committed to being a leader in our sector. We focus strongly on diversity and inclusion and I see it as my job to help promote this. Not just in the company itself, but also towards the supply chain and our stakeholders. Because I can still see a lot of challenges, of course. We will continue to work on these challenges with as many colleagues as possible. We can see how fast the world is constantly changing and it is essential for us to change along with it on all levels in this dynamic market. In my opinion, working at BAM ultimately means working at a company which you can identify with.’?

It is clear that BAM is ambitious in the D&I arena. How does this manifest for you in concrete terms??

‘I like the fact that every two years, BAM is screened for D&I by an independent research agency. These audits provide objective scores and show us where there is room for improvement. We then incorporate these insights into the implementation of our strategy. In turn, this also gives us a measurable picture of our Return on Inclusion. In other words, how well do we perform in the areas of diversity and inclusion, and how can we ensure that BAM continues to be successful as a result? The fact that we allow ourselves to be assessed so actively indicates to me that BAM does not stop at good intentions alone, but genuinely regards D&I as a common thread in everything we do.’?

What do you contribute to the role for your colleagues??

‘I think the networks that colleagues have started within BAM Netherlands and BAM UK & Ireland on various themes, such as gender and sexual orientation, are a great initiative. These networks contribute to the question of how we can strengthen inclusion in our policies, processes, and leadership by exchanging ideas and experiences. We are one of the first European construction companies to do so. I’m keen to further expand a network such as FEM@BAM. Not to mention PROUD@BAM.’?

This takes us neatly to plans for the future. What is your ‘What if’ for BAM??

‘There’s a simple answer. ‘What if’ BAM was the most diverse and inclusive construction company in Europe? What if you went to work every day as a professional and took all your individuality with you, with all the facets that make you unique? What if you have a job where it doesn't just matter what you can do, but also who you are – no matter what you believe, how old you are, who you love and where you come from? Wouldn’t that be the kind of company in which you would like to grow and flourish? It certainly does the trick for me!’?