Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion
This award is to recognise industry-leading performance by a company, association or individual, between January 2023 and January 2024 in making specific efforts to champion and develop a diverse and inclusive culture within the geotechnical sector and/or their own organisation.
Arcadis
PARRR programme
Arcadis takes a holistic, multi-faceted approach to driving improved diversity, as well as using its influence to champion change across the wider industry. Recognising the need to combine top-down with bottom-up approaches, bringing leadership in DBHR (Diversity, Belonging and Human rights) through policies and strategy together with empowering our people to embed the change required to make inclusivity ‘business as usual’. This empowerment is embodied by the PARRR Programme, enabling Arcadians to utilise their delivery expertise for good. Adopting a programmatic approach, PARRR’s mission is to improve equity and inclusivity in our business and industry, attract and retain more women, and nurture female talent to improve levels of women in senior leadership positions. The programme’s work is centred around 5 core themes considered key in resolving poor gender diversity: parity, awareness, retention, recruitment and returners. To date, PARRR has achieved a gender balance improvement of over 5% in 3 years.
BGA
Early career group: Engaging with the industry
The British Geotechnical Association Early Career Group (BGA ECG) champions diversity and inclusivity, welcoming geotechnical engineers of all levels. We support professional growth through various initiatives, such as the Manual of Geotechnical Engineering (MOGE) seminar series, and spearhead sustainability and neurodiversity working groups. Our EDI officer's neurodiversity awareness efforts and our sustainability officer's CPD series in collaboration with BTSYM illustrate our commitment to broad outreach. We engage with other technical groups like BTYSM, EGGS, and ECOSIGG to foster interdisciplinary learning. Internationally, we participate in the JYMA symposium in Austria and have planned a joint webinar with CFMS, AFTES, and BTSYM in 2025. Regionally, we've organised courses and networking events in cities like Leeds and Bristol, emphasising that BGA ECG supports engineers beyond London. Through these initiatives, we aim to create a nurturing environment that promotes diversity in backgrounds, skills, and ideas.
Binnies
Empowering Talent, Embracing Diversity: The future of geotechnical engineering
The geotechnical team at Binnies have been making small sustainable changes to working and recruitment practices to improve the attraction and retention of a more diverse workforce during a period of sustained team growth. We are very proud to have industry leading diversity figures: 41% female staff (12.6% industry average) 91% of staff under the industry average age of 54 32% BAME (8% industry average) 10% Stem returners 5% Army Reservist This has changed the way that the team think, and provides us with a much broader and resilient outlook, enabling us to deliver genuinely outstanding work for our clients.
Jomas Associates
EmpowerHER: Inspiring diversity in STEM
Jomas Associates, are leading the charge in championing equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within the geotechnical sector. We are breaking gender stereotypes and fostering diversity in STEM fields, with a particular focus on empowering young girls to pursue careers in engineering. Under the inspirational leadership of Roni Savage, we have built a culture that celebrates diversity in all its forms. Roni’s advocacy has inspired team members like Clare, a Geo-environmental Engineer, to engage with schools and communities, encouraging girls to explore STEM. Clare’s efforts include delivering talks, organising workshops, and volunteering with a local Brownies group to spark interest in aerodynamics. Additionally, Josephine Whitehead, a Geotechnical Engineer, has shared her personal journey at the Geological Society, offering candid insights into the challenges of being a woman in STEM. Our commitment to EDI strengthens our team and drives innovation, ensuring a more inclusive and dynamic organisation.
Mine Environment Management
Lead not follow
Mine Environment Management Ltd. (MEM) is a small and innovative environmental engineering consultancy which emphasises sustainability and ethical performance within the mining sector. Since 2023, MEM has grown to thirteen employees, comprising seven nationalities, a 9:4 female to male split, and age distribution of 23 to 64. 54% of the team work on a part time basis. MEM supports the progression of women in STEM: four team members will have participated in the Women In Resources Mentorship Programme by end 2025; and MEM offers MSc placements (nine since 2019, of which seven were female, five nationalities). Over the same period MEM generated thirteen publications, with an 8:5 female to male split of lead author. Within the MEM team is a mentor for the EQUATOR project, working to improve access and participation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic students in Geography, Earth and Environmental Science research.
Mothers into Work
Mothers into Construction
Farzana Sarwar is a trailblazer in championing gender diversity in construction, where women currently make up just 14% of the workforce. Through her initiative, Mothers into Work CIC, she is transforming opportunities for mothers re-entering the workforce after a career break. By forging strategic partnerships with leading firms like Mace Interiors, Kelly Group, and AtkinsRéalis, she creates tangible pathways for women to access the rapidly growing Green Skills sector, where 240,000 new jobs are projected. Her initiative tackles key barriers such as lack of confidence, industry exposure, and employment references by offering training programs, mentoring, career mapping workshops, and mother-friendly placements. By leveraging mothers’ transferable skills, she empowers them to transition into fulfilling careers while driving gender parity in construction. Sarwar’s national initiative is not just about employment—it’s about economic empowerment, social value, and lasting industry change.
Mott MacDonald
Women in STEM
Bareen Shafi: From the heart of conflict in Kashmir to the forefront of engineering in the UK, my journey is a testament to resilience and the transformative impact of diversity. Overcoming societal norms that don’t encourage women from pursuing engineering, I excelled academically and emerged as a leader. As a British Council Ambassador for Women in STEM, I have inspired and mentored young women, helping them believe in their potential. My initiatives and active participation in Mott MacDonald’s EDI efforts reflect my commitment to fostering an inclusive STEM sector. My journey is not just a personal triumph but a beacon of hope, demonstrating that resilience can break barriers. Recognizing my efforts will not only be an encouragement for me but for all those women who have followed my journey and faced similar struggles. This recognition would inspire more women to pursue STEM careers and increase diversity and inclusion in our industry.
Systra
Use of QGIS and MerginMaps for field data collection
Geological, geotechnical, and geotechnical fieldwork pose a specific, additional set of challenges for neurodivergent colleagues. One of these is the repetitive minutiae of field data entry and its subsequent digitisation. The use of QGIS and a mobile application (MerginMaps) for data entry at SYSTRA mitigate both of these through the use of specific digital forms for each type of data entry (such as rock discontinuity logging) with all of the required information included in a questionnaire format, with both mandatory and free text optionality. This benefits neurodivergent staff by reducing the mental load, alleviating concentration or text-/writing-related issues, and including aide memoires to streamline the process. These allow neurodivergent staff to complete fieldwork to the same competency and standard as their neurotypical colleagues.