According to the Home Builders Federation, women make up around 16% of the construction workforce and only 4% of site managers. Those figures underline how much progress is still needed, but the fact that more than 45 housebuilders are now involved in the initiative shows that attitudes are changing. The sector is beginning to take diversity seriously.

Diversity as a driver of progress

Diversity is often talked about as a moral responsibility, and of course it is. Everyone deserves equal access to opportunity. But in construction and development, diversity is also a driver of capability and commercial success.

Industry bodies including the Chartered Institute of Building and the Construction Leadership Council have highlighted that inclusion strengthens productivity, innovation and problem solving. When teams bring together people with different experiences and perspectives, they challenge assumptions, strengthen decisions and find better solutions. In an industry that must deliver not only more homes but better ones, that mix of thinking is essential.

When you look at the challenges ahead, from sustainable building and the use of brownfield land to delivering homes that meet the needs of modern families, fresh ideas are vital. Diversity broadens the pool of experience that drives the industry forward.

Attracting new talent

Construction and development have faced a significant skills drain over the past decade. Many experienced professionals left during the financial crisis and never returned, while training pipelines have struggled to keep up. Every developer I speak to talks about the same challenge: a shortage of people with the right mix of technical knowledge, commercial awareness and practical experience. That shortage does not just slow delivery, it limits innovation.

If we are serious about changing that, we need to widen the net. Encouraging more women into the industry is a key part of that, but it goes further. We need to attract talent from all walks of life: people changing careers, school leavers interested in design or sustainability, and those who may not yet realise the breadth of opportunity that development offers.

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We also need to start earlier. Too many young people leave school without ever considering construction or property as a career path. Partnering with schools, colleges and training programmes can help change those perceptions, showing that this is an industry where creativity and commercial thinking go hand in hand.

Regional and SME diversity

Diversity also matters at the regional level. The majority of new homes in the UK are delivered by SME developers, many of whom have deep local roots and an understanding of the communities they serve. Encouraging a more diverse mix of developers, contractors and consultants within those regions will help create homes that better reflect local needs.

Diversity in practice

At Hampshire Trust Bank, we have seen first-hand what a difference diversity makes. Ours is not an industry that has historically been diverse, particularly at leadership level, but we have made a deliberate effort to change that.

Within our own Development Finance team, 37% of colleagues are women, including two of our six departmental heads and three of our ten lending directors and managers. That balance is ahead of the wider market, but there is still more to do. For us it is about intent, about building a team that brings a wider range of perspectives to every decision and reflects the industry we want to help shape.

Diversity also improves communication and collaboration. It creates space for constructive challenge and debate, which leads to better outcomes. We see that play out every day in the quality of decisions we make and in the results we deliver for our clients.

Real progress starts with leadership. Senior teams must be willing to challenge habits, open doors and set an example others can follow. The companies making the most headway are those where diversity is not a policy but a mindset that influences hiring, mentoring and promotion.

Progress and perspective

The growth of the Women in Home Building Programme is a positive sign that the industry is moving in the right direction. It is encouraging to see so many housebuilders not only acknowledging the issue but taking active steps to address it.

Yet the goal should be an industry where these programmes are no longer needed because inclusion is part of the culture. We need to reach a point where people of every background, gender and ethnicity naturally see construction and development as a place to build a career.

If we want to build more homes and stronger communities, we must start by building a stronger, more diverse industry. The future of housing depends not just on what we build, but on who we empower to build it.