Wates Group and Willmott Dixon have been listed as The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2022, the UK’s most highly profiled and well-established listing of employers striving for gender equality in the workplace
In order to make the Times Top Employers for Women 2022, organisations were assessed on the work they do to remove the drivers that enforce gender inequality, from flexible working and family-friendly policies to pay, reward and progression.
Times Top Employers for Women is run by the charity Business in the Community (BITC) – The Prince’s Responsible Business Network in conjunction with The Times. This year, the BITC included further assessment by asking women employees what areas they feel need to be improved in the workplace.
This year marks the fourth successive year that Willmott Dixon has featured in the Top Employers for Women list, which reflects the company’s mission to to achieve gender equality across all levels of the business by 2030.
Encouraging more women to choose construction as a place where they can enjoy a rewarding career
Rick Willmott, group chief executive at Willmott Dixon said: “I believe an inclusive and balanced business leads to better outcomes for our customers alongside making us a great place to work, where our people feel challenged, content and able to make a difference.
“It is important that contractors are featured in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2022 list as it shines a spotlight on construction as a great industry to work in, which is vital if we are to encourage more women to choose our sector as a place where they can enjoy a rewarding career.”
Similarly, Wates Group’s position on the list also reflects the companies contribution to achieving gender equality across the business, such as its enhanced paternity/partner leave and increased maternity leave policy to enable a greater sharing of responsibilities at work and home.
The company is also committed to becoming more representative of the communities in which it works, with a target to achieve 40% female representation at all levels within the business by 2025.
‘Benefitting from greater diversity of talent, skills, and experience’
Nikunj Upadhyay, inclusion and diversity director at Wates Group, commented: “Being a Times Top 50 employer is a strong endorsement of our Inclusion and Diversity efforts. We believe that the best places to work are those that promote a culture that includes everyone.
“This not only creates opportunities for individuals, but also enables the business to succeed in the future as a result of benefitting from greater diversity of talent, skills, and experience.
“We are only at the start of our journey. This recognition strengthens our commitment to drive positive action both within our business and the built environment sector more broadly.”
‘Making strong progress in our goal towards gender equality’
Katy Neep, gender equality campaign director at Business in the Community, stated: “The cost-of-living crisis following hot on the heels of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 faced by women has further shone a light on how far we have to go on gender equality.
“Without action from all employers, we will end up chasing our tails while trying to eradicate the inequalities gap and create truly inclusive workplaces for all women.
“The Times Top 50 gives us hope that we are making strong progress in our goal towards gender equality and in our 40th year we call on all employers to be bolder, braver and faster in achieving that goal.
“This year’s application process was the most competitive one we have ever seen. Employers like Wates haven’t lifted their foot off the pedal when it comes to supporting women at work and they are a strong example of what commitment to making gender inequality a thing of the past looks like.”
