Performance, Not Perception: Why Representation Matters

International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate progress and to confront the work still to be done. In sectors such as construction, engineering and the built environment, the challenge is not simply about fairness or optics but about performance, competitiveness and long-term growth. 

At Curtins, International Women’s Day 2026 is being marked with a clear focus: strengthening gender balance, particularly in senior technical roles, and demonstrating that representation is not just an equity issue but a commercial imperative. The question is no longer whether diversity matters but whether we are prepared to embed it decisively into how our businesses operate, compete and grow. 

Rt Hon Justine Greening, Chair of The Purpose Coalition and former Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, has long argued that opportunity and economic performance go hand in hand. 

“When I introduced mandatory gender pay gap reporting in 2017, it was about far more than publishing data,” she reflects. “It was about exposing the structural barriers that hold women back and forcing organisations to confront them. Transparency drives accountability, and accountability drives change.”

That legislation required large employers to publish mean and median gender pay gaps, bonus gaps and the proportion of men and women across pay quartiles. It highlighted how women were disproportionately concentrated in lower paid roles, often facing barriers when returning to work or progressing after starting families. The aim was clear: to tackle the root causes and close the gap within a generation. 

In construction and the wider built environment, these  issues remain acute. Women are still underrepresented in technical and senior roles, progression pathways can be uneven, and site culture can lag behind modern workforce expectations. Assumptions about who is “best suited” for certain responsibilities still shape outcomes, often unconsciously. 

Yet the business case for change has never been stronger. 

Diverse teams make better decisions. They are more creative, more resilient and better at anticipating risk. Organisations that reflect the communities they serve build stronger client relationships and more sustainable talent pipelines. In a sector facing skills shortages and fierce competition for expertise, it is not only unjust to overlook half the potential workforce but commercially unsustainable. 

Andy Roberts, Board Director at Curtins, is candid about both the challenge and the ambition. 

“We recognise that improving gender balance, particularly at senior technical level, is not something that happens by accident,” he says. “It requires sustained leadership focus, honest conversations and measurable commitments. For us, this is about building better teams that deliver better outcomes for clients. It is about long-term business performance.

Rhiannon Carss, Board Director for Communications, Culture and Engagement, adds that culture is as important as strategy. 

“Policies matter, but everyday behaviours matter too. Representation is shaped by who gets invited into rooms, who is visible on projects, who is put forward for promotion and who is listened to. If we are serious about progress, we must look at those daily decisions.” 

This is where the social mobility lens  is critical. As Justine Greening has consistently argued through her work in government and now through The Purpose Coalition, opportunity is not evenly distributed. Gender intersects with background, geography, education and access to networks. If businesses want to unlock talent, they must widen the pipeline and ensure it remains open all the way to leadership. 

“As Education Secretary, I saw how early confidence and subject choice influenced later career paths,” Justine notes. “If girls are not encouraged into STEM subjects, if they cannot see role models in engineering or construction, the pipeline narrows long before recruitment begins. Employers have a role not just in hiring, but in shaping aspiration.” 

For senior leaders across the industry, three priorities stand out. 

First, measure what matters. Data, as the gender pay gap reforms demonstrated, is a catalyst for change. Organisations should track representation at every level, promotion rates, attrition and pay differentials.  

Second, build inclusive cultures intentionally. Flexible working, support for returners, mentoring, sponsorship and inclusive site practices should be part of modern workforce strategy. 

Third, embed accountability at Board level and treat progress as a core business metric. Improving gender balance in senior technical roles cannot sit solely within HR or culture teams. It requires visible leadership ownership, clear targets and consistent scrutiny. When inclusion is integrated into business planning, talent strategy and client delivery, it moves from aspiration to execution. Curtins’ focus on gender balance as a Board priority reflects an understanding that representation is directly linked to performance, succession planning and long-term resilience. 

There is a broader economic argument. Productivity growth depends on deploying skills effectively. Infrastructure delivery depends on attracting and retaining expertise. A construction sector that better reflects society is better placed to deliver the homes, transport links and public spaces communities need. 

International Women’s Day should be a catalyst as well as a celebration. 

As Andy Roberts puts it, “This is not an issue for someone else to solve. Every project lead, every manager, every colleague has a role in shaping who thrives here.” 

Justine Greening concludes, “Ending structural inequality is not about ticking boxes. It is about building a stronger economy and a fairer society at the same time. Businesses that understand that will lead the future.” 

The real test is what happens next. When representation is treated as a performance issue, owned at Board level and embedded into everyday decisions, progress follows. For Curtins and for the wider industry, the opportunity is clear: build teams that reflect the society they serve, and in doing so, build stronger, more competitive businesses.