CIOB presence at Woman and Work APPG is vital, says Sandi Rhys Jones.
CIOB vice president Sandi Rhys Jones spoke at a recent meeting of the Women and Work All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).
Co-chaired by Jess Phillips MP and Laura Farris MP, the APPG offers a forum to constructively examine and debate the role that policymakers can play to deliver gender balance within the economy. Having a presence is crucial for CIOB and the industry, Rhys Jones said.
“I’m very pleased to be there and it was a very good session,” she said. “The APPG gives a voice to our industry and the women in our industry. We are showing the value of women but it’s also how you celebrate what the industry does and how it makes a difference.
“What is important for the CIOB is getting the opportunity to champion the industry – and getting a seat at the table enables us to talk about the CIOB charter, for instance.”
“It’s not just about more women and equal pay – it’s broader; it’s about demonstrating the fantastic nature of the industry and the wow factor it has. Rishi Sunak commented about how many of HS2’s top engineers are women – women in transportation are doing effective, incredible things.
“What is important for the CIOB is getting the opportunity to champion the industry – and getting a seat at the table enables us to talk about the CIOB charter, for instance.”
Rhys Jones said it was a step towards getting construction represented at higher levels. “It’s important that we get the construction industry a seat at the table at the broader conferences – the ones that discuss the bigger picture, like at Chatham House meetings where Amex and Coca-Cola give great presesentations.
“Where is our industry? Because if they are talking about the capacity of nations we should be asking: Who is building the infrastructure? The roads? Supplying the water? If you have a seat at the table then you have influence and that’s what construction needs.”
Read more about the APPG here: https://connectpa.co.uk/the-women-and-work-all-party-parliamentary-group.
