Joining the Middle East Inclusion & Diversity Council
Our Middle East business is the first member of the construction industry to join the Middle East Inclusion & Diversity Council (ME I&D Council), furthering our inclusion journey in the region and placing us in a prime position to influence our industry peers.
The ME I&D Council was formed to bring together like-minded organisations in the Middle East private sector in order to promote change in the workplace and industry as a whole. It was founded and is led by a steering committee comprising CEOs and leaders from PwC, Citi Group, Dow, LinkedIn, Omnicom Media Group and Pfizer.
The importance of addressing this subject has been highlighted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which estimates that the Middle East and North Africa region loses approximately $575 billion a year due to the legal and social barriers that exist for women’s access to jobs and careers.
We have been welcomed into the ME I&D Council through our ambition and commitment to implementing a diversity and inclusion strategy that is tailored to our business, demonstrating that we support progression of women into senior roles and expanding on bias education across our business.
Our role on the council will allow us to share our experiences and shape the conversation about diversity and inclusion with other members, who represent a range of perspectives from across the private sector.
All members have pledged to promote gender diversity in their organisations and track progress, including entrusting and empowering one member of their senior executive teams with this responsibility.
Alison Jamieson, Director, Business Generation, Middle East, said:
Being welcomed into the Middle East Inclusion & Diversity Council affirms our commitment to creating an inclusive culture, and to building a more diverse, equal and equitable business, where everyone can succeed.
"As a leading employer in our industry in the region, we recognise the critical role we play in ensuring women are both welcome to work and able to benefit from our ongoing commitment to making diversity and inclusion a core part of our company culture."
Hani Ashkar, PwC Middle East Senior Partner, said:
Our purpose at the Middle East Inclusion & Diversity Council is to foster collaboration and collective action to drive positive change for our clients and communities.
"By leveraging our collective resources and expertise, we aim to empower organisations to create an equitable workplace that values and celebrates diverse perspectives."