Stanhope has invited Girl Guide groups to Warwick Court, its pioneering women-led development in the City of London, as part of a drive to inspire the next generation of young women entering the workforce to see property and construction as an exciting option.
Mitsubishi and Stanhope completed their retrofit of the former Goldman Sachs offices at Warwick Court in the City of London at the end of February, a landmark on a number of levels including being overseen by an all-female senior design and development team.
For Women in Construction Week, which is taking place between 5 and 11 March, the company took a group of Rainbows and Brownies, the youngest two age groups of Girl Guides, to Warwick Court for a day learning about careers in construction with an emphasis on fun.
Starting with talks from project director Laura Collins and the team, the girls then took part in a Lego construction challenge, a trip to the top of St Paul’s Cathedral to view the London skyline and a treasure hunt around Paternoster Square.
Collins says Warwick Court has been the "perfect project to show young girls the career possibilities open to them in property and construction and help inspire the next generation of women entering the workforce".
On International Women's Day 2023 (8 March 2023) the development's all-female team is a clear example of how important having female staff in construction is for an industry that has been battling to increase its appeal to a wider range of people.
The Warwick Court project is still unusual for a major development in central London in having been led entirely by female professionals spanning design, construction, development management and sustainability.
The team comprised: project director Laura Collins of Stanhope, lead architect Mari Samuelsen and interior design lead Amanda Baldwin, both of whom work at Fletcher Priest Architects. Mace’s Laura Thomas led pre-construction and Chloe Souque of Waterman Group was the project’s sustainability lead with a focus on minimising carbon use. Stanhope’s Vanessa Murray led asset management and Lara Samworth supported the leasing.
A recent report from Real Estate Balance, the industry's biggest survey of diversity, equity and inclusion, found that the gender gap at board level and senior leadership roles in UK real estate has worsened over the past two years.
The survey finds that more women think their employer does not deal with gender equality issues well than men do. Things are improving it finds, with a decrease in dissatisfaction from 2020. Women also see DEI as more important to their job satisfaction than men.
Stanhope says it has a continual commitment to championing accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity across all projects to provide pathways for women in construction. It is also an accredited Living Wage Employer and is committed to supporting responsible business practices.
The company sees introducing girls on site to show examples of women succeeding and flourishing in the sector as being vital to breaking down barriers.