Realizing that social change is sweeping the country—but that many construction companies are at different places in their diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) journeys—the Associated Builders and Contractors of Maine is proud to support this year’s inaugural Construction Inclusion Week (CIW) from October 18 to October 22.
Recognizing the need to unite the construction industry on this timely topic, last year a group of contractors formed a consortium called “Time for Change.” This group of builders produced a goal: to identify ways to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in construction. To create awareness nationwide, this inaugural Construction Inclusion Week was born to highlight the effort.
“The intent for Construction Inclusion Week is to foster conversations and create alignment in the construction industry to take us all further along on this journey,” says ABC Maine President and CEO Hope Pollard. “If we genuinely want to attract, retain and develop the best talent to maximize diversity, we must grow our culture to be truly inclusive.”
ABC Maine will be supporting this initiative by promoting best practices for inclusion, diversity and equity.
The theme of this year’s inaugural Construction Inclusion Week is “Building the Foundation for Inclusion.” According to the event founders, the goal is to spark more conversations—whether on the jobsite or in the office—about the importance of creating real, lasting change within the construction industry.
To help direct those discussions, CIW posted the following list of daily subjects and related activities (which is also available on its website and can be accessed by ABC Maine members):
- October 18: Leadership Commitment and Accountability
- October 19: Unconscious Bias
- October 20: Supplier Diversity
- October 21: Jobsite Culture
- October 22: Community Engagement and Outreach
ABC Maine Membership Director Tami Staples says by working together, members can share information and experience to promote a more inclusive workplace environment and strive toward eliminating harassment and hate.
Get Involved!
To make the biggest impact (and bring about a true transformation in our industry), we encourage people throughout the construction industry—general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, professional services firms, owners, industry associations and real estate partners—to unite and take part.
“By participating you send a strong message within your organization, demonstrating that you are ready to create a future of improved possibilities,” Pollard says.
In an effort to increase engagement, organizers at CIW are distributing materials—posters, banners, hard hat stickers and email signature banners to name a few—to make a big splash on social media. Builders everywhere are encouraged to post frequent updates and share their photos and activities using #ConstructionInclusionWeek.
“If we genuinely want to attract, retain and develop the best talent to maximize diversity, we must grow our culture to be truly inclusive.”
Hope Pollard, ABC President & CEO
To download a planning guide and access resources, we encourage ABC Maine members to check out the Construction Inclusion Week website at: www.constructioninclusionweek.com
Members can also request ABC National’s DE&I brochures by emailing Tami Staples at tami@abcmaine.com.
While participating companies everywhere are invited to plan activities and share resources, we invite our ABC Maine members to openly discuss their own experiences and communicate what they are doing to build awareness and promote policy development across the state.
By gaining a greater understanding of DE&I—while working to create potential solutions and reforms within our industry—ABC Maine members can help lay the foundation to build a more inclusive workplace.
“Our efforts are to support the initiative and produce the conditions for all to prosper to achieve their dream,” Pollard says. “ABC Maine is here to help make that happen.”