In May 2026, in partnership with Women in Planning, Building People published a landmark report that combines findings from the first sector-wide mapping of “Women in…” organisations across the UK built environment with an evidence-based economic case for coordinated investment.

Together, they made the case for a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by almost forty gender groups at UKREiiF on 21 May 2026. Follow this link to read the report.

Highlights from the press release

A major new survey has revealed that 50 networks, initiatives and organisations working to advance gender equity across the UK built environment are collectively reaching over 15,000 professionals a year, but are doing so in parallel, duplicating effort, missing funding, and speaking to government in dozens of separate voices rather than one.

The report finds that fragmentation is costing this ecosystem more than £740,000 every year — in duplicated administration, in funding that initiatives cannot access because they lack impact evidence, and in policy engagement that is a fraction as powerful as it could be.

The survey, the first of its kind, maps 50 initiatives from organisations ranging from national bodies with over 1,000 members to grassroots volunteer networks with fewer than 20, spanning architecture, construction, engineering, planning, surveying, housing, utilities and beyond. 58% are run entirely or primarily by volunteers. 44% have no paid staff whatsoever. Despite this, every single initiative surveyed expressed willingness to collaborate. Not one said no.

The report also identifies a critical strategic gap: while mentoring and leadership development are widespread, almost no initiatives are working on how the built environment is designed and procured for women as users and residents. This is a gap the report names the CREATE deficit, and argues must be addressed through a dedicated working group as part of the MoU.

On the industry-wide picture, the report draws on ONS, CITB and independent research to show that the construction sector faces a shortfall of 251,500 workers by 2028, a skilled trades gender pay gap of 13.9% — the highest of any occupational group — and a pattern of women leaving the profession far earlier than men. The sector is recruiting from a talent pool it is simultaneously failing to retain.

Key findings from the report

• 50 mapped initiatives collectively reach more than 15,000 professionals per year across a combined membership of 24,534+.
• 56% of initiatives have no formal measurement of impact, leaving significant grant funding permanently out of reach.
• 58% are run entirely or primarily by volunteers; 44% have no paid staff.
• 58% of initiatives rate their budget as limited or none, the weakest of all nine capacity dimensions measured.
• 94% of initiatives actively include or welcome men, showing the sector has moved firmly beyond the women-only model.
• Gender-lens design, procurement standards and user research, known as the CREATE pillar, are almost entirely absent from the ecosystem.

Read the full report via this link.

Access the Memorandum of Understanding via this link.

See section below for full details of signatories.

With grateful thanks to our sponsors:
Collington Winter Environmental,
Vistry,
Institution of Civil Engineers,
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors,
Male Allies UK
and
UKREiiF.

July 2026 update: With a final few signatories awaited, the goal now is to identify and secure the funding for phase two of the project — the establishment of the Gender Equity Coordination Function — to then develop the Action Plan, all within the next six months. If sponsorship or involvement is of interest, we’d love you to get in touch via this link. The full list of signatories is detailed below.

If crowdfunding / individual donations is more your thing, we’d very much welcome your support via this page. Thank you!