Gilbane Building Company, a founding member of Construction Inclusion Week launched in 2021 to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the construction industry nationwide – is on track to meet its commitment to generate $4 billion in awards over five years to businesses owned by minorities (MBE), women (WBE), veterans (VBE), and disadvantaged (DBE) and LGBT (LGBTBE) enterprises.
As part of Construction Inclusion Week 2022 scheduled to take place October 17-21, more than 2,000 companies are signed up to join Gilbane in marking the national industry event.
“We believe that building inclusion, equity, and diversity is critical to the future of the construction industry,” said Tom Laird, President & CEO, Gilbane Building Company. “Our goal is to leverage both our national profile and our building project portfolio to make positive impact in the communities where we work.”
Gilbane’s pledge to commit $4 billion in contracts to diverse and disadvantaged contractors – and report on those efforts publicly – is part of the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts, outlined in its March 2022 inaugural ESG report. At the mid-point of 2022, Gilbane awards to diverse and disadvantaged businesses totaled approximately $460 million, putting the company at 11.5% towards its goal. To learn more about Gilbane’s ESG strategy, click here.
“We understand that decisions we make today will open new doors of opportunity tomorrow,” said Laird. “We measure our success in part by the opportunities we create for diverse businesses to grow and prosper.”
Gilbane will mark Construction Inclusion Week with programs and events touching its approximately 3,000 employees across the company’s 300 active job sites and more than 45 offices. The programming will emphasize themes related to commitment and accountability, the importance fostering belonging, building an inclusive workplace, supplier diversity, and community engagement.
“Our Gilbane Cares commitment extends to building workplace inclusivity so that every employee, every partner, and subcontractor feels they are a part of an inclusive work environment,” Laird added. “Construction Inclusion Week helps all our construction professionals to realize their full potential and foster connections with our team members, partners, clients, and the communities we serve.”
Gilbane’s long-standing efforts to transform the industry by creating opportunities for diverse talent and businesses is evident in its multi-faceted approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition to Construction Inclusion Week and its $4 billion economic inclusion pledge, Gilbane works to build capacity in diverse businesses through mentorship and training through its Rising Contractor program, drives outreach and recruitment to expand its supplier pool, supports career pathways for young students through the ACE Mentoring program, and helps build an inclusive work culture internally through its seven employee resource groups (ERG).
“Gilbane believes that economic inclusion is a business imperative,” said Yvette Stevens, Vice President and Director of Economic Inclusion and Community Affairs. “We will remain laser-focused on achieving our stated goals, while placing special emphasis on those underrepresented firms, such as Black and Hispanic-owned, that have experienced the greatest disparities across the country. We know that when we maximize opportunities for diversity, equity, and inclusion through our projects, our communities, our clients and our industry benefit.”
About Construction Inclusion Weekhttps://www.constructioninclusionweek.com to access free materials and resources.
Construction Inclusion Week (CIW) is an annual event designed to amplify awareness while celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the construction industry. Open to firms of all sizes, CIW provides educational and business resources for the construction industry including craft and jobsite crews, office teams, and industry affiliates. VisitIn 2021, Gilbane co-founded Construction Inclusion Week with DPR Construction, Mortenson, Clark Construction Group, McCarthy, and Turner Construction.
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane Building Company provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, close-out and facility management services – for clients across various markets. A family business founded in 1870, Gilbane has active participation from the 4th, 5th, and 6th generations of the Gilbane family.For more information, visit https://www.gilbaneco.com.