2019 Inspiring Change Award Winners
Inspiring Change in the Community
Click here to see an interview with Paul Hardon after the 2019 Inspiring Change Award 2019 Ceremony
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Judges' comments:
"Morgan Sindall Infrastructure were a clear winner. Their submission quantified the benefits to the local community and described how the programme was bring new talent into the industry. Overall the judges would have liked to have seen more initiatives that were company-wide and linked to business strategy"
"Morgan Sindall Infrastructure were a clear winner. Their submission quantified the benefits to the local community and described how the programme was bring new talent into the industry. Overall the judges would have liked to have seen more initiatives that were company-wide and linked to business strategy"
Inspiring Change in Education
Alun Griffiths Contractors developed a programme which has interacted with over 2,000 children at primary schools, engaged and inspired over 3,000 students through secondary school and ultimately into apprenticeships. 75% of those who have progressed through the programme have found jobs with the company and a further 14% have jobs in construction.
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Judges' comments:
"This year we had entries from businesses operating across the UK. Some very exciting initiatives at both primary and secondary level and many examples of working collaboratively. There was a strong field of entries is this category with many different initiatives. The initiative from Alun Griffiths Contractors stood out because of the number of children involved and because it showed real progression into jobs."
"This year we had entries from businesses operating across the UK. Some very exciting initiatives at both primary and secondary level and many examples of working collaboratively. There was a strong field of entries is this category with many different initiatives. The initiative from Alun Griffiths Contractors stood out because of the number of children involved and because it showed real progression into jobs."
Highly Commended

The judges felt that ENGIE deserved to be highly commended as they have developed a comprehensive programme of activities to support and educate students from primary and secondary education.
Inspiring Change in the Workplace |
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WinnerBalfour Beatty's winning entry aims to address the underrepresentation of minority groups and has introduced a multicultural affinity network, and developed toolbox talks and webinar, mentoring high performing young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, established a reverse mentoring programme to give giving senior leaders insight into the ethnic minority experience.
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Click here to see an interview with Aaron Reid and Teik Tan after the 2019 Inspiring Change 2019 Award Ceremony
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Judges' Comments:
The breadth of this programme was very impressive but whilst it has been won by a very large contractor most of their initiatives could be singled out and replicated by other businesses, large and small.
The breadth of this programme was very impressive but whilst it has been won by a very large contractor most of their initiatives could be singled out and replicated by other businesses, large and small.
Highly Commended
Inspiring Change - SME Award
CPUK Civils and Remediation's initiative aims to create site ready candidates for employment as plant operatives, targeting ex-offenders from HM Prison Hindley, Wigan. The statistics are impressive. 200 candidates have been selected for simulator driver training with additional skill and competence training. The ultimate objective is to provide meaningful employment for ex-offenders upon their release.
Judges' Comments:
This initiative is being expanded into prisons around the North West and judges felt it could easily be replicated by other businesses in other locations. |
Click here to see an interview with Jack Rowley after the 2019 Inspiring Change Award Ceremony
Highly Commended
This year the Inspiring Change – Project Award has so many good entries that the judges decided to make two awards – one for Community and the other for Workplace.
Inspiring Change in the Community Project Award |
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Costain Skanska JV's winning entry set out a strategy to reach the local communities, supporting homeless people into employment through relationships with charities. They have been able to support 5 homeless people of the streets and into employment. They are offering members of the community in which they operate and local charities the opportunity of joining a steering group to leave a lasting legacy for the betterment of the community.
Click here to see an interview with Louise Dailly after the 2019 Inspiring Change Awards Ceremony
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BMV JV developed an Inclusion Action Plan for the project and introduced a range of initiatives to help attract, recruit and retain a more diverse workforce. The workforce is regularly consulted through VOICE meetings. Site personnel are encouraged to participate in school visits with over 40 schools visited in 2018 and employees are given a volunteer day to work at a garden created for a local disability charity. Important induction and safety notices are translated into 5 languages
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2019 FIR Inspiration Award
Anusha ShahClick here to see an interview with Anusha Shah after winning the FIR Inspiration Award 2019
Anusha is inspirational and a trailblazer who has broken several stereotypes:
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Anusha is an exemplary role model who has worked relentlessly for over a decade to bring a change in the industry. Highly regarded in the industry as a leader with a genuine passion for creating a fair industry, she is courageous and honest in speaking up for what she believes. An articulate, empathetic and an intelligent leader who constructively challenges unacceptable behaviours, injustice and inequities. She is a shining beacon of FIR in our industry.
Annusha started ‘Inspire’ Engineer talk series to celebrate diversity, chair’s Senior Women Lean-In and led a campaign for providing visibility and respect to BAME Engineers. Raising awareness at the highest level, she has made a huge impact with ICE now embedding FIR into all their policies, contracts and practices.
Anusha recruited, mentored and led the most diverse team on TEAM2100 winning many awards. Raised FIR’s importance, writes blogs, social media posts, chairs panel discussions and held one-on-one with senior industry leaders championing the cause for a fair and inclusive industry. She called out the panel at the House of Lords and Thames Policy workshop for not having a diverse panel. Her recent post on inclusive leadership got 3856 likes, 305221 views and 183 comments.
Anusha has charisma and is a bold agent of change, people flock to her for advice. She is doing everything in her capacity to create fair and inclusive industry.
Annusha started ‘Inspire’ Engineer talk series to celebrate diversity, chair’s Senior Women Lean-In and led a campaign for providing visibility and respect to BAME Engineers. Raising awareness at the highest level, she has made a huge impact with ICE now embedding FIR into all their policies, contracts and practices.
Anusha recruited, mentored and led the most diverse team on TEAM2100 winning many awards. Raised FIR’s importance, writes blogs, social media posts, chairs panel discussions and held one-on-one with senior industry leaders championing the cause for a fair and inclusive industry. She called out the panel at the House of Lords and Thames Policy workshop for not having a diverse panel. Her recent post on inclusive leadership got 3856 likes, 305221 views and 183 comments.
Anusha has charisma and is a bold agent of change, people flock to her for advice. She is doing everything in her capacity to create fair and inclusive industry.
Judges' Comments:
Annusha was nominated by the Chair of the ICE FIR Committee, Kate Cairns. The judges felt Annusha was a worthy winner from a very strong field of entries because of the impact she has made over a long period and for challenging people to think differently. They felt she uses every opportunity to promote the benefits of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect within construction and beyond.
Annusha was nominated by the Chair of the ICE FIR Committee, Kate Cairns. The judges felt Annusha was a worthy winner from a very strong field of entries because of the impact she has made over a long period and for challenging people to think differently. They felt she uses every opportunity to promote the benefits of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect within construction and beyond.