A leading supplier of labour to the construction industry has made a five-step pledge towards boosting diversity in its ranks and creating opportunities for people in diverse groups in the sector by 2025.

Fortel, which supplies more than 2,000 staff to infrastructure projects with major contractors across the UK, has unveiled it’s ‘Top 5 By 2025’ initiative, after updating its Social Value and Diversity and Inclusion strategies in 2020.

Targets set by the West Midlands based business include increasing workforce diversity by 25%, launching a Diversity and Inclusion steering group and providing work placements for people from underrepresented groups within the industry.

Amar Sandhawalia, Fortel EDI Lead, said: “We have always put great emphasis on the importance of Diversity and Inclusion.

“Recently, we have launched our enhanced Diversity & Inclusion strategy which will be supported by our Top 5 for 2025 initative.

“2020 was a year where calls were made far and wide for progress – from industry associations and business leaders to education bodies and eminent individuals – but we do believe that we are at the start of a change in attitude and culture.

“We want to lead from the front in this and play our part in creating a more diverse talent pool, the impacts of which will be transformative for the industry.”

The full ‘Top 5 By 2025’ initiative is as follows:

• Increase workforce diversity by 25% by 2025*
• Launch of a Diversity & Inclusion training and assessment scheme
• Quarterly Diversity and Inclusion focused events arranged by Fortel
• Creation of a Diversity & Inclusion Steering Group
• Work Placement initiative for people from underrepresented demographic groups

*At present, 60% of the Fortel workforce come from minority ethnic backgrounds, therefore the increase will focus on other demographic groups.