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Amos Simbo OBE
Construction industry diversity champion, Amos Simbo OBE, has warned built environment companies shouldn’t do anything about improving the diversity of their workforces if they don’t truly believe in it.
Simbo, founder of the Black Professionals in Construction (BPIC) network told the latest edition of the ‘Behind the Built Environment’ podcast that firms would be better off doing nothing if they were just responding to pressure from their clients.
He said: “If you’re faking it rather than actually doing it, you’re just wasting your time. You might as well use your resources properly because what’s the point of investing in something and then just going halfway?”
Simbo told podcast host David Frise, CEO of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), that companies who only acted on diversity because their clients forced them into it would not see any benefit.
“[Then] what will happen…companies would employ people, but they’re just not empowered to do anything. So…you’re [just] wasting money on employing those people. In that case, it would be better to do nothing at all because you won’t get anything out of it.
“For companies of all sizes, authenticity matters…so go all in, make it real. Inclusion isn’t a trend; it’s good business,” he added. “And even if you don’t want to go all out, try and do the bare minimum properly, at least. Then you can say, you know what, we’re not doing everything, we’re just doing this, but we’re doing it properly…we’re committing.”
Currently, just seven per cent of workers in construction and related fields are from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community in the UK even though it accounts for more than 18 per cent of the overall population. Simbo told the podcast that people from BAME backgrounds were often unaware of the industry and the opportunities available. Also, they don’t see “success stories” from their own communities.
“People are well paid in this sector, but people don’t know about it. So, that’s one element of education. But then some of the reasons why people wouldn’t know about it is [because of] where they’re from. Perhaps there aren’t any success stories [from their community].”
A shortage of mentors and role models also leads to more people from those backgrounds being encouraged by their parents to become doctors or lawyers instead, Simbo added.
“[They don’t see] people progressing, and then they end up leaving. So, you’re losing a lot of leaders, losing a lot of role models. This is such a people-oriented industry, but you often end up with people [staying] in their groups and cliques.”
He also said there was a misconception that inclusivity was “a competitive issue” with winners and losers, but everyone should gain. “Diversity and inclusion should not be to the detriment of something else. It’s about inclusion not exclusion to make space for others. It’s not a competitive thing,” he told Frise.
Simbo, who is also Managing Director of the independent construction consultancy, Winway Group, said a more inclusive approach should lead to greater innovation, business growth and staff retention. He added that companies also needed to be wary of getting sucked into the political debate around the issue, particularly with the current climate in the US where President Donald Trump is waging war on the ‘woke agenda’.
He said this was putting businesses in a difficult position because many want to be inclusive but are being told they could lose government contracts. “But what happens if there is a change of government…you can’t just go back and say ‘we care now’.”
Instead, he urged employers to make their business a place where “[all] people feel welcome, and talent can thrive,” said Simbo. “We focus on ethnic minority inclusion, but [it] should be for everyone – women, older people. It makes a good business and makes good business sense and that translates into growth, people retention – values come first and then growth comes from that.”
He said the message of the BPIC network was that construction was an industry for everyone. It is a hub that aims to help employers improve their inclusivity and gain access to talent. It offers advice and examples of best practice for attracting diverse talent and provides opportunities for ethnic minorities to access the industry and its related sectors.
Simbo said addressing the low participation of the BAME community was part of the wider government-led drive to grow the number of skilled people in construction. BPIC works with a range of training providers and has launched its own skills academy to help improve opportunities for ethnic minorities.
BESA is also addressing this challenge through its online Academy and is recognising employers who champion inclusion, break down barriers and are working to create a more diverse and equitable industry through its industry awards programme.
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