HS2 launches Marketplace platform to increase diversity and inclusion across its supply chain
HS2 Marketplace gives businesses access to training and resources to instil diversity and inclusion best practices.
The number of disabled, black and ethnically diverse, and female workers among HS2’s supply chain already exceed industry averages.
Diversity, inclusion and employee wellbeing
Its seven construction partners have introduced a number of measures to promote diversity, inclusion and employee wellbeing including:
- Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall (EKFB) has created men’s and women’s health workshops, as well as wellbeing and prayer rooms.
- The Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS) is upgrading its employee app to enable staff to capture, track and monitor EDI best practices.
- Mace Dragados has implemented a new ‘Make it Stick’ campaign, which ensures that LGBT + trained allies are easily identifiable on site through high visibility stickers worn on their hard hats.
The launch of HS2 Marketplace aims to ensure that this continues as thousands of more companies are expected to work on £25bn worth of contract opportunities over the coming years.
Mark Lomas, head of equality, diversity and inclusion at HS2 said: “With two decades of construction work ahead of us HS2 is naturally placed to be a real driver for change, and we’ll achieve this by ensuring that every company engaged in delivering Britain’s new railway plays their part in setting a new EDI standard.
“HS2 Marketplace enables our suppliers to be confident that their practices and processes, from recruitment through to the workplace environment, are truly inclusive and follow the best practice standards we expect.”
‘Creating a truly inclusive engineering sector’
The platform is designed and backed by the Clear Company who earlier this year awarded HS2 with the Clear Assured Platinum Standard accreditation. HS2 Ltd is the first company to receive the award in the UK.
Kate Headley, director of the Clear Company, said: “Once again HS2 have demonstrated ground-breaking progress and innovation with the launch of the Marketplace platform.
“This is a significant step forward in creating a truly inclusive engineering sector and the constructive, supportive approach will enable HS2 suppliers to improve access to long term career opportunities, for all people, right across the sector.”
