Educate, Inspire and Empower
Constructing Change Shortlisted for National EDI Initiative Award
Constructing Change has been shortlisted for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year at the Inspiring Women in Construction & Engineering Awards 2026.
The awards, supported by Construction News, New Civil Engineer and Ground Engineering, celebrate organisations and initiatives that are making a meaningful contribution to improving equality, diversity and inclusion across the construction and engineering sectors.
The shortlist recognises Constructing Change’s work opening up construction, engineering and flood resilience careers to young people aged 13–16, with a particular focus on engaging girls and those from under-represented backgrounds.
Founded by civil engineer Elizabeth Griffin-Bennett FICE, Constructing Change was established to address a simple but important challenge: many young people, particularly young women, rule out careers in construction before they have had any meaningful exposure to the industry.
Through its Learning in Action programme, Constructing Change works with schools and industry partners to provide structured site visits, employer encounters and real-world work experience opportunities that align with Gatsby Benchmarks for careers education.
Since launching, the initiative has:
- Engaged more than 100 young people, with around 70% female participation
- Delivered nearly 500 employer encounters
- Supported more than 500 hours of work experience
- Generated over 1,250 volunteer hours from industry professionals
- Delivered more than £38,000 of verified social value
- Built a collaborative network of more than 20 public and private sector partners
The programme brings together organisations from across construction, engineering and infrastructure, including contractors, consultants, public sector bodies and specialist suppliers, all united by a shared ambition to create a more diverse and representative future workforce.
Elizabeth Griffin-Bennett, Founder and CEO of Constructing Change, said: “Being shortlisted for this award is a huge honour. Constructing Change was created because I believe every young person deserves the opportunity to see what a career in construction and engineering could look like. Too often, talented young people, particularly girls and those from backgrounds where these careers are not visible, simply never get the chance to explore the possibilities.
“As a Community Interest Company, everything we do is driven by impact. Every pound generated goes straight back into creating opportunities for people; helping to build a more diverse, inclusive and representative industry.
“This recognition belongs to all of our partners, volunteers, schools and supporters who have embraced that vision and helped bring it to life. Together, we are opening doors, challenging perceptions and helping to create a stronger, more inclusive future for our industry.”
The winners will be announced at the Inspiring Women in Construction & Engineering Awards ceremony in London on 16 September.
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