On Thursday 5 March, Kier Infrastructure hosted an International Women’s Day event bringing together colleagues from across our business for an open and reflective conversation on the experiences of women within the industry.
The session, delivered by Kier Infrastructure’s Inclusion team, was led by Tegan Liburd and Taia Johnstone, and brought together members of the Infrastructure Board and our emerging talent population to share their perspectives side by side.
The panel featured Louise McMahon, business assurance and governance director, and Vicki Glover, people director, alongside Elena Lupa, social value apprentice, and Aleena Iqbal graphic designer. This mix of established leaders and those earlier in their careers created an opportunity for cross-level dialogue, allowing both to share their experiences, insights and aspirations for the future of the industry.
Nearly 300 colleagues joined the session, demonstrating a commitment across the division to engage with conversations around gender, representation, and inclusion.
The discussion explored what inspires women within the sector, how success is defined and redefined across different career stages, and the role individuals and leaders play in shaping a more inclusive industry.
Themes of representation, authenticity and resilience were prominent. There was a shared recognition that leadership does not always need to be loud to be effective, and that quiet, consistent, and values-led approaches can be equally impactful in driving meaningful change. The importance of creating environments where individuals feel able to bring their full selves to work was also central, alongside the role of mentoring and development programmes in supporting progression across the industry.
The session reinforced the importance of psychological safety in enabling honest and meaningful dialogue. By creating a space where colleagues felt comfortable sharing their perspectives and experiences openly, the conversation provided a more grounded understanding of the realities of working in the built environment as a woman today, while highlighting the shared responsibility in driving change.
Outside of the event Kier shared reflections from women across the Group on LinkedIn highlighting what International Women’s Day means to them. This amplified diverse voices in our organisation, celebrating progress while reinforcing the need for continued action to foster inclusion in our sector.
The panel session was a brilliant example of creating a space that psychologically safe for people to share their views, and we hope to contribute to an industry where conversations like these are part of everyday practice, and where organisations feel encouraged to create similar spaces for honest dialogue, learning and action.
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