Construction materials supplier, Aggregate Industries has announced that it has signed up to an initiative designed to help firms in the sector become more welcoming to women.

Led by the leading trade publication, the 'Inspiring Women in Construction Pledge' is a voluntary code that companies can adopt to demonstrate their determination to promote gender equality.

As well as a public statement of intent, the pledge provides a broad set of goals, offering a roadmap for empowering women to reach senior positions throughout the industry. Now in its fourth year, the 2021 campaign will focus on highlighting inspiring role models and leaders, increasing engagement with men in the industry and creating new networks for women in construction.

Committed to promoting a working environment that enables women to flourish, Aggregate Industries is now a signatory of the movement as the organisation works towards greater gender balance, diversity and inclusion internally and across construction.


Dragan Maksimovic, Chief Executive Officer at Aggregate Industries UK, said: "Gender equality has been a core focus for our business for several years, and we are proud to be a signatory of Construction News' Inspiring Women in Construction Pledge.

"This excellent initiative is just one of the ways our newly created Aggregate Industries Women's Network is working to provide extra support and access for our female colleagues alongside a raft of new measures introduced in recent years.

"We're deeply passionate about attracting, retaining and progressing our female talent and building a diverse and inclusive workforce which, ultimately, will benefit us all."

As a signatory, Aggregate Industries will strive to attract, develop and promote more women in the company, close its gender pay gap and recognise the achievements of women in the industry. The firm will also work collaboratively to create an environment that welcomes and helps retain women, in addition to several other initiatives.

Established earlier this year, Aggregate Industries' Affinity Networks programme is aimed at championing equality, diversity and inclusion within the organisation. The Affinity Networks currently consist of four internal groups focused on Disability, LGBTQ+, Women in Construction and Black and Ethnic Minorities (BAME), with further networks to be established in the future.