I have seen tremendous progress toward gender equality over my 40-year career. The mindset of both men and women is changing, and an increasing number of women are working in the design and construction industries and advancing in their careers. Male leaders are also becoming more aware that their support in moving forward is needed.
Creating a more equal society
Social equality is often defined as part of sustainability, and it's consistent with how Skanska strives to build for a better society. As Chief Sustainability Officer for Skanska in the US, I support our commitment to social equality, creating the right conditions for a more equal society. I'm interested not only in gender equality but also equity in terms of culture, religion, nationality, background, education and more.
This is my job as a manager, too. Building inclusive teams requires promoting female leaders and creating both development opportunities and flexible work arrangements. I'm on a mission to demonstrate that balancing personal and professional goals can be done and benefit our people and our business.
My efforts include being Chair of the Board of Trustees for Excel Academy, the first all-girl public charter school in an underserved neighborhood in Washington, DC.
Better results through diverse teams
Diversity elevates our work and makes us more innovative and productive. Diverse and inclusive teams have proven to solve complex problems with more elegant and out-of-the-box solutions.