The CIOB Birmingham Hub has welcomed its first EDI ambassador, Stuart Holmes.
Holmes, who is pre-construction manager with GMI Construction, will help ensure that equality, diversity, and inclusion is on the agenda at hub committee meetings. He kicked off his new role by delivering a talk to construction industry students at Aston University.
Holmes said he is very proud to take on the responsibilities. “The role is exciting and the changes that we can make as EDI ambassadors have a real impact,” he said. “We are all professionals and treat one another in a positive and considered manner, but to add further questions to ensure what we do is fair, representative and gives all our members the chance to be heard is incredibly important.”
Holmes said his personal EDI journey started a long time ago and last October he married his husband. “When I started in the industry in 2004 the thought of ‘coming out’ to my colleagues, let alone them be at our wedding, was a terrifying prospect. Society and the construction industry has gone through seismic changes over even the past three years, yet we can all do more.”
He continued: “In my view, the focus of all future conversations on EDI should be courtesy, merit and respect, no matter a person’s gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.
“And the benefits to industry are the ability to attract numbers from a wider pool of talent… Equally important is the opportunity to embed the chance to raise staff satisfaction, the feeling of belonging and enhanced creativity and decision-making from a more diverse workforce – which are crucial to growth and profitability.”
