< Back Linked-In Article | Race & gender equity in construction can address labour shortages & improve the sector's reputation Kareem Sadiq Previous Next

< Back Entrepreneurship Following Targeted Workplace Harassment: Navigating Professional Banishment, Illness, and Financial Destruction to Launch a Business Previous Next

< Back Why the Clerk’s call to action on antiracism, equity, and inclusion in the public service will fail without racial equity at all levels. Kareem Sadiq Previous Next

< Back What's Happened Since 2023? We're Finally Ready to Launch - Read What Our President and CEO Went Through to Get Here Jun 1, 2024 Entrepreneurship Following Targeted Workplace Harassment: Navigating Professional Banishment, Illness, and Financial Destruction to Launch a Business The journey of entrepreneurship is often romanticized, depicted as a path paved with determination, innovation, and success. However, the reality for many aspiring nonwhite entrepreneurs is far more complicated, and includes challenges that extend beyond mere market dynamics. For people like Kareem Sadiq (President and CEO of EQiSpace) who stood-up to targeted racism and workplace harassment, the barriers to starting a business are deep, and require some examination of the relationship between professional adversity and entrepreneurial ambition. Read more about the barriers Kareem faced getting to this point over on Linked In . And stay tuned for more articles and analysis as EQiSpace gets up and running. in earnest. Previous Next

< Back White Saviours, Unicorns, and Erasure Kareem Sadiq May 23, 2023 Why the Clerk’s call to action on antiracism, equity, and inclusion in the public service will fail without racial equity at all levels. In Canada, decades of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies – dating back to the 1980s – have been unable to build and shape a public service that is demographically representative of Canadians. On May 9, 2023, Janice Charette, the Clerk of Canada’s Public Service, issued a “Call to Action forward direction message to deputies,” with respect to the Call to Action on Antiracism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Public Service , launched in 2021. Without senior management accountability for the impact of racial harassment on former public servants, the elimination of toxic public service work culture, and a commitment to racial equity at all levels, the Clerk’s call to action, along with the recent direction to deputy ministers (DMs), will fail. In the forward direction message, the Clerk states that transformational change is required to fully realize the call to action on antiracism. Yet in a tacit concession that a transformational vision cannot be achieved, the Clerk identifies “a small list” of six actions that DMs must implement immediately: Direct each EX to sponsor two or more non-white employees for leadership roles; Personally endorse at least one non-white recruitment campaign; Give language training to non-white employees ready for advancement; Embed anti-racism work in business and mental health action plans; Avoid holding meetings / events during significant religious and cultural periods; and Invest in employee resources and ensure that employees’ voices are heard. In addition, the Clerk provides the DMs with a set of four instructions that they must act on: · Set goals; · Measure progress; · Establish consequential accountability; & · Employ drivers of success. I’m a former public servant with 14 years’ service who was expelled from the Government of Canada for standing-up to racial harassment, and I have disappointing news for non-white public servants. If you understand how racism and organizational cronyism work hand in glove in the public service, then you understand that no substantive action will be taken. The goals – which remain undefined – will not be achieved. Here’s why. Nothing new: same actions, instructions, and goals – but no outcomes – since the 1980s In the first instance, there is nothing new, and certainly nothing transformational. The actions and instructions are recycled from decades of failure under the Employment Equity Act , introduced in the mid-1980s. A Google search by competent analysts will find that iterations of each action, instruction, or goal identified on May 9, 2023 have been proposed before. And each promised action, instruction, policy, or goal – whether proposed in 1986 or in 2023 – has produced the same outcome: nothing. In 2021, after four decades of DEI, Canada’s largest “visible minority” groups remained under-represented in Canada’s public service (note the significant 54% gap in South Asian representation, relative to their population). After 40 years of DEI, racial equity goals were never established An analysis of federal employment equity goal and objective setting policy directives – from the 1980s to date – reveals the complete absence of specific objectives and measurable goals. Under the guise of merit, and to maintain white-centred organizational cronyism, management resisted racial equity by raising the spectre of “quotas,” instilling the racist fear that unqualified non-white people would take the jobs of qualified white public servants. As noted in Harvey & Blakely, 1993 “A persistent problem in employment equity has centered on a lack of consensus between policy-makers, employers and workers on…goals and timetables that are perceived by all parties as reasonable and possible.” Racism underpinned the lack of consensus in 1993, and it underpins the approach adopted by the Clerk in 2023. Since my expulsion from the public service in 2018, a myriad of lawsuits , whistleblowers and investigations have laid bare the deeply-seated racism, harassment and cronyism – at the highest levels – impacting IRCC , Global Affairs , the RCMP , DND and many other federal departments and agencies. The problem is so acute, that in the House of Commons, MPs and Committees are conducting their own investigations into racial harassment in the public service. At the same time that the House investigates public service racism, the government maintains an initiative called the 50-30 Challenge , which, unlike rudderless public sector employment equity objectives, challenges Canadian employers to achieve two organizational goals: 50% gender parity and 30% non-white and 2SLGBTQ+ representation. Given the clear evidence of systemic racism and harassment in Canada’s public service, and the government’s own challenge to Canadian workplaces to set clear equity goals, it is disappointing that the Clerk did not seize the opportunity to take bold, innovative action, and set specific, measurable racial equity goals for the entire public service. Instead, the Clerk opted to repackage 40 years of status-quo DEI. White saviours, unicorns, and erasure The Clerk had an opportunity to demonstrate real leadership on racial equity, but abdicated it by downloading actions and undefined goals to line departments and agencies. Worse, the Clerk delegated the management of these directives to the same DMs and executives who actively destroyed the careers of countless non-white public servants, and expelled them from the public service. The Clerk is calling on senior managers with a long history of racial redlining and harassment to reinvent themselves as white saviours. On the basis of goal setting exercises and outcomes from 40 years of government DEI, there is scant evidence to suggest they will succeed. As part of the small list of actions, the Clerk directs executives to mentor at least two promising non-white public servants for leadership roles. Having witnessed such programs come and go over 14 years in government, a key observation is that they rarely operate on merit. Non-white mentorship programs are often run informally, and are usually reserved for unicorns – high functioning employees who obey their bosses without question, and who do anything to get ahead. As a recent report demonstrates, the promising non-white leaders selected for these positions are often willing participants in racial harassment and the maintenance of racial inequity. Another item on the Clerk’s small list of actions is “investing in employee resources and giving employees a voice.” Be wary. I recall routine messages from HR encouraging non-white public servants facing racial harassment to speak to a manager, union, or employee assistance program (EAP). These directives are dangerous. They aren’t designed to support public servants or centre their voices. They’re about erasure. Government antiracism campaigns are designed to identify, blacklist, silence, purge, and erase non-white public servants who stand-up and speak-out. The litany of public disclosures by former public servants who begged management for help with racial harassment, but were ignored, provides the evidentiary basis. I’m one of them. Attracting and retaining a racially and demographically representative public service requires accountability, change, and measurable equity outcomes If the Clerk is genuine about advancing racial equity, and “building a strong public service that is set-up to deliver for Canadians,” then get serious about accountability, transformational culture change, and equity at all levels. A central problem with the Clerk’s antiracism action plan is the complete lack of accountability for racial harassment, discrimination, and professional redlining. Erasing the history of racial harassment in the public service demonstrates a lack of transparency and accountability that renders senior managers unwilling or unable to learn from past mistakes and effect real change. Acknowledgement and accountability are essential components of restorative justice, and ignoring racial harassment in the public service erodes trust among public servants, stakeholders, Canadians, and international partners. A key element surrounding antiracism accountability is data. Learning from past mistakes means understanding the scope and magnitude of the damage done to purged public servants. When I was forced out of government in 2018, my then-MP (Ottawa Centre) assisted with my EI claim and investigation. It was approved on the basis of “voluntary separation owing to discrimination and harassment.” This begs a few numbers questions. How many other public servants went on EI after being forced out of government? How many took medical leave? Impact on staff turnover? Costs to Canadian taxpayers? What are the health, financial, social and reputational harms and costs to these former public servants? If Ottawa area MPs are assisting purged non-white public servants with EI claims, then what do they know about the degree of systemic racism in the public service and what, if anything, are they doing about it? Taking responsibility is key to transformational culture change. Building a racially equitable public service requires a fundamental shift in culture, norms, and practices, where accountability for racial harassment and toxic work environments, coupled with concrete action, create awareness, understanding, and safer spaces for open dialogue on eliminating racial inequities. The Clerk must take bold action and establish measurable racial equity outcomes in the public service. The Clerk would be wise to take a page out of the 50-30 challenge. Specifically, commit to 30% non-white representation at all seniority levels, and ensure that underrepresented racial groups reflect their share of the Canadian population. But don’t stop at racial equity; the Clerk can adopt outcome-oriented approaches that establish age, gender, and ability goals to ensure a truly representative public service. Finally, it is clear that the Clerk needs better advice on advancing racial equity in the public service. The executives responsible for four decades of racial redlining, harassment, and failed DEI cannot deliver. The talented former public servants expelled for standing-up to racism can. To effect real change, the Clerk needs to enlist the former public servants whose careers were destroyed by racial harassment, demonstrate accountability, stop erasing their experiences, and acknowledge the harm done. We have the bold, innovative, and workable ideas to build racial, gender, age, and ability equity in Canada’s public service. The Clerk’s management team does not. Previous Next

< Back Equity speaks directly to demographic representation Kareem Sadiq Previous Next

< Back Building Better: How Race and Gender Equity Can Transform the Construction Sector Kareem Sadiq Oct 16, 2023 Linked-In Article | Race & gender equity in construction can address labour shortages & improve the sector's reputation Please access this article on Linked-In . Previous Next

< Back The private, public and NGO sectors often determine workplace equity objectives using Workforce Availability (WFA) projections derived from broader Labour Market Availability (LMA) statistics. EQiSpace believes that workplace equity benchmarks on race, gender, and ability representation should reflect the total population, and not WFA or LMA projections. Kareem Sadiq Previous Next

< Back Decades of corporate gender, race, and minority equity programs have failed to close global pay and representation gaps. Empower change for women and underrepresented groups, and accelerate the adoption of Green Building processes, by building equitable construction projects and skilled trades training programs from the ground-up. EQiSpace can help make it happen. Kareem Sadiq Previous Next

< Back Opinion: Workplace Equity Outcomes Should be Determined by Total Population, Not Workforce or Labour Market Availability (WFA / LMA) Kareem Sadiq Jun 14, 2024 The private, public and NGO sectors often determine workplace equity objectives using Workforce Availability (WFA) projections derived from broader Labour Market Availability (LMA) statistics. EQiSpace believes that workplace equity benchmarks on race, gender, and ability representation should reflect the total population, and not WFA or LMA projections. In Canada, Employment Equity objectives for the public service and federally regulated corporations are determined by establishing Workforce Availability (WFA) projections from overall Labour Market Availability (LMA) statistics. Similar objectives and projections are made by the public, private and non-governmental sectors in Canada and in other multiracial democracies. But for the reasons outlined below, EQiSpace believes that workplace equity benchmarks on race, gender, and ability representation should, with respect to statistical measures, reflect the total population, and not WFA or LMA projections. Workforce Availability (WFA) WFA refers to the measure of the number of employees within an organization who are available and ready to work at any given time. It considers factors such as: Employee Presence : Attendance and absence rates. Health and Well-being : Employees' physical and mental health. Skill Levels and Training : Qualifications and readiness of employees to perform their duties. Engagement and Motivation : Levels of employee commitment and productivity. WFA is an internal metric used by organizations to ensure that they have the staff complement to meet operational demands and maintain business continuity. Labour Market Availability (LMA) LMA refers to the potential supply of people within the broader labour market who are available and qualified for employment. This includes: Unemployment Rates : The number of unemployed individuals actively seeking work. Demographic Factors : Race, gender, ability, age, education, and skill distribution of the labour force. Economic Conditions : Factors influencing job availability, such as economic growth, industry demand, and government policies. Geographic Factors : The availability of workers in specific regions or areas. LMA is an external metric used by businesses, policymakers, and economists to understand the dynamics of the labour market, plan for recruitment, and develop workforce strategies. Total Population Total population refers to the entire group of individuals residing within a specified geographic area, such as a country, region, or city, at a given time. With respect to the labour market, total population comprises everyone living in an area, regardless of their employment status. It includes all age and racial groups, and encompasses people in various economic categories, such as employed, unemployed, or not part of the labour force. Understanding total population is vital for analyzing labour market trends and calculating other important labor market metrics, such as the labour force participation rate, employment rate, and unemployment rate. Weak: Workplace Equity Objectives Established with WFA / LMA Benchmarks Narrow in Scope WFA / LMA consider only people who are currently in or actively seeking employment. They do not account for potential candidates who might enter the labour market if barriers to employment were removed. This narrow scope does not address existing disparities, it perpetuates them. Ignores Systemic Barriers WFA / LMA projections do not consider systemic barriers that prevent entry to the labour force for people from certain demographic groups. Factors such as discrimination, lack of access to education and training, and socio-economic disadvantages are overlooked, leading to an inaccurate representation of the demographics and diversity of potential workers. Reinforces Existing Inequities Relying on current WFA / LMA data can perpetuate existing disparities. If certain groups are underrepresented due to systemic barriers or historical discrimination, their low representation in the labour market will be mirrored and potentially reinforced in employment equity efforts. By basing equity efforts on WFA / LMA data, workplaces reinforce the status quo. Excludes Marginalized Groups Groups such as students, retirees, stay-at-home parents, and discouraged workers (or discouraged searchers) face barriers that prevent them from entering the labour market, but they may be otherwise capable and willing to work. These groups are significant, because they are not counted in the official unemployment rate, which only includes those actively seeking employment. This exclusion underestimates labour market distress and the overall unemployment rate, which further complicates the use of WFA / LMA estimates. EQiSpace is particularly concerned with the experiences of nonwhite discouraged workers who face persistent labour market discrimination, or who have been actively targeted and professionally blacklisted for standing-up to wrongdoing, racism, or harassment. Discouraged workers are people who are not actively seeking employment because there are no suitable job opportunities available for them. This stems from factors such as a lack of available jobs, discrimination, or insufficient qualifications. Although discouraged workers aren’t counted in official unemployment rates, they are captured in labour force surveys. In 2023, there were approximately 20,100 discouraged workers in Canada, and approximately 367,000 discouraged workers in the United States. But the labour force survey data on discouraged workers is weak; it is not broken down by race, and it does not identify the processes and experiences that prevent discouraged workers from entering or re-entering the labour force. In order to enhance an understanding of the full scope of labour market challenges experienced by discouraged workers, and to formulate better policies that address unemployment and underemployment, labour force surveys need to obtain more information about the specific barriers people face when searching for work. Short-Term Perspective Workforce availability metrics provide a snapshot of the current state of the labour market, which can be influenced by temporary economic conditions; they do not account for long-term demographic trends, future workforce entrants, or changing workforce diversification, which limits strategic equity planning. Strong: Workplace Equity Objectives Established Using the Total Population Comprehensive Inclusion Establishing equity benchmarks by total population is stronger than that of WFA / LMA estimates. Equity by total population considers all individuals within a demographic, including those not currently active in the labour market. This approach ensures that all potential workers are considered, promoting a better understanding of the diversity of the workforce. Equity Goals This metric aligns employment equity with broader social justice and equity goals. By aiming to reflect the total population, organizations can address historical inequities and effect societal change. Proactive Barrier Removal Using total population as a benchmark encourages organizations to proactively address barriers to employment. This includes implementing training programs, outreach initiatives, and other supportive measures to help underrepresented groups enter the workforce – such as EQiSpace’s objective – building equitable workplaces from the ground-up. Reflects Social Equity Values Benchmarking workplace equity outcomes to the total population aligns employment practices with societal values of fairness and equality, and ensures that employment equity initiatives are part of a larger effort to address social justice issues. Strategic Long-Term Workforce Planning Considering the total population when establishing workplace equity objectives allows for better long-term strategic planning. It helps organizations anticipate and prepare for demographic shifts and evolving workforce needs, ensuring a more sustainable approach to equitable representation. Bottom Line WFA / LMA data offer a limited and current snapshot of the workforce, focusing only on those actively engaged or seeking employment. This approach fails to address systemic barriers and perpetuates existing inequities by excluding marginalized groups and long-term strategic considerations. On the other hand, using total population as a benchmark for workplace equity is a comprehensive and inclusive approach. It ensures that all potential workers are considered, aligns with social justice values, and supports long-term equity goals. This method encourages proactive measures to remove barriers and create truly equitable workplaces. By adopting a total population benchmark, organizations can better reflect societal diversity, anticipate demographic shifts, and implement sustainable, strategic workforce planning to achieve equitable race, gender, and ability outcomes. Previous Next

< Back Empowering Change for Women and Underrepresented Groups: Equitable Construction Projects & Training Programs for Enhanced Pay, Representation, & Sustainable Infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific Kareem Sadiq Dec 13, 2023 Decades of corporate gender, race, and minority equity programs have failed to close global pay and representation gaps. Empower change for women and underrepresented groups, and accelerate the adoption of Green Building processes, by building equitable construction projects and skilled trades training programs from the ground-up. EQiSpace can help make it happen. The global construction sector has an acute gender, race and ethnicity equity problem. In the Indo-Pacific countries of India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, the labour market participation of women in construction is between 1% and 12%. Racial, ethnic, and religious minorities –among other excluded groups – are underrepresented in construction, and those who do work in the sector are concentrated in untrained laborer roles, as opposed to skilled trades and professional roles. At the same time, there is a global shortage of skilled tradespeople, engineers, and architects in construction, which includes the Indo-Pacific region. Many shovel-ready or planned infrastructure and housing projects cannot find and attract skilled workers. Construction shortages in North America, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific share similar dynamics: • Experienced construction workers are retiring, and not enough skilled tradespeople are joining the industry to replace them; • Wages are not competitive with other sectors; • Pay is significantly lower for women and minorities; • Worker safety is often not prioritized; • Skilled training programs have declined owing to fewer industry entrants; • Labour productivity suffers when untrained workers are hired in place of skilled tradespeople; and • There are reported high levels of gender based violence against women and discrimination against underrepresented groups. Taken together, these dynamics confer a poor reputation on the construction sector, which deters women, underrepresented groups, and others from joining it. In response to significant state infrastructure spending and housing construction demand, major investments are being made in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. With respect to sector growth, for example, it is projected that India alone could add 30 million construction jobs by 2030. In the context of climate change, the Indo-Pacific construction sector is keen to adopt best Green Building practices to build sustainable infrastructure that meets key climate change objectives, such as reducing greenhouses gases, increasing energy efficiency, and conserving natural resources. Implementing sustainable infrastructure requires specialized knowledge and skills, and the lack of technical expertise in areas such as renewable energy, green building design, and climate-resilient infrastructure, hinders the planning and execution of sustainable projects in the Indo-Pacific. Development Challenges – Indo-Pacific Construction Sector Innovative solutions are required to address the Indo-Pacific development challenges of inclusive economic development, reduced gender based violence, improved workplace conditions and protections, and the adoption of sustainable infrastructure. These solutions must address pay and representation inequity for women and underrepresented groups in the Indo-Pacific construction sector, a sector that is experiencing an acute shortage of skilled tradespeople and poor labour productivity. Buoyed by the lack of skilled trades training programs, untrained laborers are performing work that should be done by skilled tradespeople. This results in poor work quality, lengthy delays, and the inability to adopt best practices in sustainable infrastructure. Participation of Women and Underrepresented Groups in the Indo-Pacific Construction Sector There are immense gender pay and participation gaps in the global construction sector, which includes the Indo-Pacific region. Women comprise only 1% to 12% of the Indo-Pacific construction workforce, are paid significantly less than their male counterparts, and experience high rates of discrimination and harassment, which impose significant barriers to entering the sector. While comparable data on the workforce participation of underrepresented groups in Indo-Pacific countries is challenging to obtain, there are long-standing ethnic, caste, and religious divides which impose barriers to full participation in the labour market. In the construction sector, these groups are severely underrepresented – especially in management roles. It is clear that for women and underrepresented groups, the right to full economic participation in the construction sector has not been achieved. Gender Based Violence, Workplace Conditions, and Worker Rights in the Indo-Pacific Construction Sector Article 23 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to work, and without discrimination, the right to equal pay for equal work worthy of human dignity. Women and underrepresented groups in the Indo-Pacific do not receive equal pay for equal work in the construction sector. Women experience high rates of gender based violence, and racial, religious, and ethnic minorities experience high rates of discrimination and harassment. Gender-based violence is a pervasive issue in the global construction sector. The construction sector is male-dominated, and the under representation of women contributes to a culture that tolerates and perpetuates gender-based violence. Hierarchical structures and power imbalances, coupled with gender, race, ethnic and religious stereotypes, reinforce discriminatory behaviors and contribute to an environment that is hostile to women and underrepresented groups. Underreporting in the construction sector is a significant barrier to assessing the true extent of gender-based violence and discrimination against racial, ethnic, and religious groups. Victims fear retaliation, stigma, or a lack of support, leading to a reluctance to report incidents. Adoption of Sustainable Infrastructure and Labour Productivity in the Indo-Pacific Construction Sector A key challenge for the Indo-Pacific construction sector is the adoption of environmentally sustainable construction processes. The shortage of skilled tradespeople compromises the ability of the sector to fully adopt sustainable practices, which has significant implications for both labour productivity and the adoption of Green Building best practices (a resource-efficient method of construction that produces healthier buildings which have less impact on the environment and cost less to maintain). Labor Productivity - A shortage of skilled tradespeople leads to delays in construction projects. Without enough qualified workers, tasks take longer to complete, causing overall project timelines to extend. This results in increased costs and penalties for failing to meet deadlines. Quality of Workmanship - The shortage of skilled tradespeople leads to a decline in the quality of workmanship. Rushed or inadequately trained workers are more prone to making errors, resulting in defects that can compromise the structural integrity and safety of buildings. Adoption of Green Building Best Practices - Green building practices often require specialized knowledge and skills, such as working with energy-efficient materials, installing renewable energy systems, and implementing sustainable construction techniques. The shortage of skilled tradespeople with expertise in these areas impedes the widespread adoption of green building practices. Training and Education Gaps - The construction industry needs to adapt to new technologies and environmentally friendly building methods. The shortage of skilled workers slows the industry's ability to train and educate personnel on the latest green building practices, hindering the transition to more sustainable construction methods. Innovation and Technology Adoption - Skilled workers are essential for the successful adoption of new technologies and innovative construction methods. The shortage of skilled tradespeople may result in a resistance to adopting green technologies and practices due to a lack of familiarity or expertise. Regulatory Compliance - Green building often involves adherence to specific environmental and energy efficiency standards. The shortage of skilled labor makes it challenging for construction firms to consistently meet these standards, leading to potential legal and regulatory issues. Solution: Empower Women and Underrepreseted Groups by Building Equitbale Construction Projects from the Ground-Up To improve workplace equity in the Indo-Pacific construction sector, experts in construction, human resources, organizational culture, policy, and law need to think outside the box. Instead of trying to change toxic work environments from within, empower change for women and underrepresented groups by building equitable construction projects and skilled training programs from the ground-up. Partner with the construction sector and pilot the equitable recruitment and staffing of skilled workers for shovel-ready and planned construction projects, where women and racial and ethnic minorities reflect the populations they serve at all organizational levels. Pilot gender, race, and ethnicity equitable skilled trades training programs to help the Indo-Pacific construction sector increase its capacity to accelerate the adoption of sustainable infrastructure, reduce labour market shortages, and improve labour productivity. Work to foster an antiharassment work culture for each construction project and skilled training program that reduces gender based violence and discrimination against racial, rel.igious, or ethnic minorities. Establish equity at all workforce levels of construction projects and skilled trades training programs – which includes leadership positions at the executive level – and help women and underrepresented groups access senior management and decision making roles in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. Equitable construction projects and skilled training programs will support sustained economic growth and expand Indo-Pacific labour capacity, by creating a durable and equitable domestic supply of skilled tradespeople and managers who can meet the current and future needs of the construction sector. To reduce gender based violence and discrimination against underrepresented groups, it is essential that equitable construction projects and skilled trades training programs foster an antiharassment workplace culture. An antiharassment workplace culture involves the development of values, ethics, and principles – along with difficult conversations – that enhance the overall harassment literacy of a project or program — which is the ability to identify forms of harassment and develop strategies to counter them. With respect to on-site safety, working conditions can vary greatly. Equitable construction projects and skilled training programs should pursue worksite best practices, to ensure that workplace conditions are in compliance with regulations that govern training, equipment safety, health and wellness, safety inspections and audits, and communication and reporting systems. Work must also be undertaken on legal initiatives that strengthen legislation on gender based violence, discrimination, worker rights and workplace conditions in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. It is imperative that equitable construction projects commit to eco-friendly Green Building processes and methods, where sustainable approaches are applied to a project’s life cycle (siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition). Outcomes Equitable construction projects and skilled training programs will produce key outcomes related to inclusive economic development, reduced gender based violence, reduced harassment against underrepresented groups, improved workplace conditions and protections, and the adoption of sustainable infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific. Ultimate Outcomes -Enhanced participation and decision making power for women and underrepresented groups in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. -Reduced gender based violence and harassment and strengthened workplace conditions and rights for women, underrepresented groups, and all construction sector workers in the Indo-Pacific. -Increased capacity of the Indo-Pacific construction sector to adopt Green Building processes and sustainable infrastructure. Intermediate Outcomes -Enhanced acceptance of women and underrepresented groups in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. -Increased awareness among women and underrepresented groups about careers in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. -Improved antiharassment work culture for women and racial, ethnic, and religious minority groups in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. -Strengthened legislation and regulations on workplace conditions and worker rights in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. -Improved adoption of Green Building best practices in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. Immediate Outcomes -Increased access for women and underrepresented groups to living wage Indo-Pacific construction sector employment projects and skilled trades training programs. -Enhanced legal and regulatory scrutiny of worker rights and workplace conditions in the Indo-Pacific construction sector. -Increased number of Green Building projects in the Indo-Pacific. Bottom Line The persistence of pay and representation gaps for women and underrepresented groups in the Indo-Pacific construction sector is in part explained by the inability of organizations to effect equitable change from within; for example, decades of corporate gender, race, and minority equity programming has failed to close global pay and representation gaps. Rather than attempt to change the Indo-Pacific construction sector from within, be innovative, empower change for women and underrepresented groups, and work with EQiSpace to build equitable construction projects and skilled trades training programs from the ground-up. Previous Next

< Back There’s no consensus on collective racial terms; let nonwhite people use the terminology they are most comfortable with - and don't shame them for it Kareem Sadiq Previous Next