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Skanska UK has been recognised as a Disability Confident Level 2 Employer that goes the extra mile to make sure disabled people are considered fairly in recruitment. Disability Confident is a government initiative designed to encourage employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. The scheme supports employers to make the most of the talents disabled people can bring to the workplace by: • Challenging attitudes towards disability, • Increasing understanding of disability, • Removing barriers to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions • Ensuring that disabled people can fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. As part of our recognition under the scheme, we are committed to: • Encouraging our suppliers to become part of the scheme. • Ensuring every candidate can request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, ensuring that a role’s skills criteria are concise so as not to exclude anyone. This ensures fairness and transparency in the process. • Advertising our vacancies as widely as possible. • Guaranteeing an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum skills criteria for a role. Why is this important to Skanska? Becoming part of the Disability Confident scheme demonstrates that our values and priorities align with those of our Employee
Our UK Head Office environment was designed to support inclusive collaboration, creativity and innovation. The office space includes private booths, quiet rooms, contemplation areas and collaboration hubs, designed to support many different ways of working. The facilities include a restaurant, café, gym and wellness centre, plus our own beehive on the roof. We have adapted our new Head Office at Leavesden Park to increase accessibility, sustainability, and the capacity for flexible working in accordance with the Fitwel certification scheme: • We assessed the walkability of the location i.e., proximity to local amenities, including Leavesden Country Park restorative garden, open spaces, and transport links. • A universally accessible pedestrian route between the entrance and transit stops. • On-site parking for 309 cars, including accessible parking, 100 electric vehicle charger points and bicycle park. Office accessibility and inclusion • Lift access to all levels. • Accessible toilets and gender-neutral toilets on each floor • Flooring material throughout is designed to be accessible for wheelchair users. • The office décor and layout were designed specifically to consider our neurodivergent colleagues. • Clear wayfinding and office signage designed to support easy navigation around the building. • Meeting rooms have blinds to shut out daylight for colleagues who are sensitive to light or using screen readers. • Dedicated quiet rooms as well as a parent room
Our UK Head Office environment was designed to support inclusive collaboration, creativity and innovation. The office space includes private booths, quiet rooms, contemplation areas and collaboration hubs, designed to support many different ways of working. The facilities include a restaurant, café, gym and wellness centre, plus our own beehive on the roof. We have adapted our new Head Office at Leavesden Park to increase accessibility, sustainability, and the capacity for flexible working in accordance with the Fitwel certification scheme: • We assessed the walkability of the location i.e., proximity to local amenities, including Leavesden Country Park restorative garden, open spaces, and transport links. • A universally accessible pedestrian route between the entrance and transit stops. • On-site parking for 309 cars, including accessible parking, 100 electric vehicle charger points and bicycle park. Office accessibility and inclusion • Lift access to all levels. • Accessible toilets and gender-neutral toilets on each floor • Flooring material throughout is designed to be accessible for wheelchair users. • The office décor and layout were designed specifically to consider our neurodivergent colleagues. • Clear wayfinding and office signage designed to support easy navigation around the building. • Meeting rooms have blinds to shut out daylight for colleagues who are sensitive to light or using screen readers. • Dedicated quiet rooms as well as a parent room
In 2022, we moved into our new UK head office at Leavesden Park in Watford. Our new work environment was designed to support inclusive collaboration, creativity and innovation. The office space includes private booths, quiet rooms, contemplation areas and collaboration hubs, designed to support many different ways of working. The move reflects the lessons we have learned about working flexibly during the covid-19 pandemic. We wanted a space that allowed our teams to work collaboratively in an environment, which was both accessible and that had a positive impact on the mental wellbeing of our employees. As an organisation, we are dedicated to furthering our longstanding commitment to sustainability, aiming to implement the Fitwel® certification system across all of our office locations. Fitwel® is the world’s leading certification system for optimising building design and operations to support human health and well-being and at Skanska, we believe it is vital that we provide environments that empower the people working within them to be productive and healthy.
Women make up only 16.5% (2022 figures) of engineers in the UK – how do we buck the trend? In celebration of this year’s International Women in Engineering Day, we hear from the project team delivering the M42 Junction 6 improvement where we have more female engineers than males under the age of 30. But it doesn’t stop there. The team, based near Birmingham, is made up of people from all walks of life and the scheme is reaping the benefits as a result. Meet some of our people where they discuss the positives of diversity. Watch the video here. https://bit.ly/3qXDNZB
Katy Dowding, who is currently a member of Skanska UK’s Executive Management Team, takes up her new role as President and CEO from Tuesday 2 May. Over her 20-year career with Skanska, Katy has held a diverse range of commercial, operational and strategic leadership roles, including Managing Director of Skanska UK’s facilities management operation for five years. Since 2017, Katy has held the role of Executive Vice President with responsibility for Skanska UK’s building and building services businesses. She is also a member of the Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture board, overseeing the delivery of the London tunnels section of High Speed 2. A well-known figure in the UK construction industry, Katy sits on the industry-level Construction Productivity Taskforce and previously held the role of Chair of the National Association of Women in Construction for eight years. She is also the executive sponsor of Skanska UK’s Womxn’s and Pride employee networks.
Global recognition for Skanska as female-friendly employer Skanska Group has been recognised on Forbes’ list of the World’s Top Female-Friendly Companies. The list rated Skanska Group fourth from 300 companies and the top-ranked construction and development company. Forbes’ rankings were based on independent surveys of 85,000 women in 40 countries. Respondents were invited to rate their employer on criteria such as pay equality and parental leave. They were also asked how their company’s marketing messages either promote gender quality or perpetuate negative stereotypes. Representation at executive and board levels was also considered by Forbes. Here in the UK, three of Skanska’s seven-strong Executive Management Team (EMT) are women. Find out more about the list and how it was compiled here. “We’re delighted and honoured to be recognised in this way,” says Executive Vice President and Womxn’s Network executive sponsor, Katy Dowding. “It’s an important step on Skanska’s continuous journey towards meaningful inclusion and diversity.
