Background
AECOM is a multinational engineering firm with 87,500 employees globally, and 7,000 in the UK&I, whose ability to create innovative solutions depends on the attraction and development of diverse teams.

Gender diversity in particular is a massive challenge facing the industry, however, leading to the development of a D&I strategy with this as its first focus. External research highlighted the most effective types of interventions, and a mapping exercise explored how a more diverse workforce could drive specific areas of AECOM’s business and talent strategy and unlock innovation.

Approach
To help progress the next generation of female talent, AECOM’s UK&I mCircles programme was established: a group mentoring scheme designed to build female employees’ confidence and collaboratively address the challenges they faced within AECOM and the industry. To build a crucial narrative around inclusion, communications emphasised the importance of every voice being heard, and International Women’s Day was used as a platform to engage people.

A series of short interviews were launched as part of the #BeBoldforChange campaign, where leaders articulated their support for ‘10 everyday inclusive behaviours’, and employees were invited to commit to at least one. A Reverse Mentoring programme now allows leaders an insight into what AECOM is like from different employee perspectives, and unconscious bias is being tackled through training and the introduction of new interview techniques.