Maria started working with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in 2016 after witnessing the lack of job opportunities for transgender people in São Paulo, Brazil. With a master’s in business from the University of São Paulo, Maria is a firm believer in the transformative potential of authentically inclusive organisations and has pursued this academically and through her work. Maria has led a wide range of data, audit and learning projects for companies of different sizes and sectors including Equans, the Greater London Authority Infrastructure Group, Lookers Automotive, Mace Group, Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA), EcoRodovias, and Gerdau. Through her experience, Maria has accumulated knowledge on the DEI challenges and opportunities in the global infrastructure sector, working with on-site workers, office-based colleagues, leaders and managers to embed DEI change.

Statement:

The construction industry, globally and in the UK, is paradoxical: it is at the same time diverse and homogenous. It is diverse in terms of nationalities, class backgrounds, and in some countries even in terms of race. However, it is still vastly homogenous in terms of gender, and LGBTQ+ inclusion is a challenge. Moreover, the sector relationship with disability, health and safety, and wellbeing, is a work in progress. As one of the biggest employers in the UK, there is massive potential in construction to bring in diverse talent and include. Flipping the coin, there is a massive potential for widespread DEI initiatives to help construction overcome current and future challenges, such as skills shortage, need for new solutions in face of climate change, the search for operational efficiency. Therefore, I see DEI in the construction sector as a win-win scenario towards a more sustainable future for workers, organisations, the sector, and society as a whole.