Our Impact

The built environment sector has one of the worst rates for inclusive, diverse hiring. It has one of the highest rates of attrition for women and People of Colour.

At Built By Us, we are on a mission to change that.

Who are our beneficiaries?

Built By Us exists to support anyone not typically represented in the built environment sector

*Figures based on data gathered in 2022

*85%

female

17.5%

disclose disability

35%

Black

56%

BA&ME

25%

LGBTQIA+

Find out how we made impact in 2022

Front cover of "Making Impact, Social Impact Report 2022

Download our 2022 Impact Report

Foreward

2022 saw a slow emergence from the confines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a continuation of our successful Build and Shape programmes.

Throughout 2022 we had 104 participants across our Fluid and Shape programmes, and 147 participants in our Build programme. We delivered 1,908 hours of mentoring, bringing us to a grand total of 9,864 hours of mentoring under the Built by Us programmes since we began in 2016.

The longer-term shift to more flexible working, in the wake of the pandemic, has had benefits for some of our beneficiaries, who had previously faced significant barriers from inflexible systems. We see this new flexibility as facilitating a more inclusive work culture, and potentially a more level playing field for those disadvantaged by traditional work structures. However, according to Timewise, construction remains an industry with some of the least flexibility in work arrangements. 2022 saw the development of our Shape programme, aimed at founders and leaders, which we will continue to grow. We will be giving more focus to it, in the knowledge that it can be a powerful catalyst for even wider change: if we can get more diverse founders and leaders that are innovating in the industry, they can then employ more diverse and innovative people, leading to a positive ripple effect.

At Built By Us we continue to ensure that our programmes are accessible and of value to people. We are responsive to beneficiaries’ needs and look to match people’s intentions and aspirations.

We are so pleased to share this report with you as it reflects the work and commitment of our amazing allies, volunteers and the Built By Us team. We hope that you continue to follow the work we are doing in the future.

Danna Walker | Built By Us Founder and CEO

Download our 2021 Impact Report

5 ways you can benefit from a diverse workforce

TALENT

Talent seeks to work with the widest range of other voices to challenge, learn and evolve and according to research

“67% of job seekers said that a diverse workforce is an important factor when evaluating companies and job offers.”

- Glassdoor

2. INSIGHT

Working solely with the traditional power base of the built environment will not bring the diversity of experience, mindset, or experience needed to create future-proof communities.

“The quality of the built environment has a significant role to play in tackling social disadvantage.”

- Inclusive Environments, Design Council

3. INNOVATION

Increasing diversity, building inclusion, and embedding inclusive leadership are core tenets of an innovative, outwards looking workforce.

“Buildings are deeply emotive structures that form our psyche. People think they are things they maneuver through, but the make-up of a person is formed by the structures they move through.”

- Sir David Adaje.