MORE than 20 senior delegates gathered in Leicester ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD, 8 March) for a round table event which explored the challenges faced in achieving true gender equality.

Hosted by property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, the event considered how a balanced workforce can be created and what practical steps can be taken to achieve this.

“We discussed a range of topics – from gender stereotypes acquired by children and women taking career breaks to have children, to hiring policies and the importance of positive female role models,” said Aarti Raj, director at Pick Everard.

The round table was held yesterday (Weds 6 March) to celebrate IWD, which is an annual campaign. This year’s IWD theme is ‘balance for better’.

Aarti continued: “This is Pick Everard’s second round table event. We focussed on the theme ‘balance for better’ this year, so invited men into the discussion. This created a balanced perspective on an issue that’s not just a female issue – it’s a business issue.

“It’s not just the construction industry which has a gender imbalance, so we were pleased to welcome representatives from the professional services, education and legal sectors to provide their thoughts and experiences on the topic.

“We considered how the private sector can learn from the public sector in terms of a closer integration with society and communities, reflecting society’s diversity in the workforce. By sharing our experiences across various different industries, we can continue to develop a better understanding of best practice – which will ultimately benefit us all.”

Duncan Green, managing partner at Pick Everard added: “We know that the construction industry has some way to go to achieve real equality. At Pick Everard, we aspire to be a positive force within the sector and are committed to doing as much as we can – through events like this – to promote opportunities available in construction, facilitate stronger industry connectivity and celebrate female role models.

“Thank you to everyone who attended.”

To join in the conversation on social media, follow @PickEverard on Twitter and use the hashtags #IWDPerspective #BalanceForBetter.

Visit www.pickeverard.co.uk to download the full podcast of the event.