Inclusion In Construction Week
The purpose of Inclusion in Construction Week is to showcase best practices, provide opportunities to build new business connections, and facilitate resources and trainings. Your engagement is crucial to making the week successful. There are multiple ways to engage; click on each weekday below for resources to engage on that day.
Click here for a printable PDF to share.
October 14-18: Inclusion in Construction Week
In the construction industry, commitment to small business inclusion has led to the growth of many small businesses into very successful larger companies. Relationships, like projects, are built over time, and so are small businesses. Staying focused, being determined, building a legacy, and pride in construction and what we do are just some of the passionate stories we want to celebrate. If you are a small business, we thank you for your commitment to providing opportunities to others as you develop into a successful business.
Action:
- Watch, share, repost videos posted on AGC’s LinkedIn.
- Toolbox talk PDF link below.
Muscle memory is incredibly valuable in construction, helping us perform tasks efficiently and consistently. Just as we routinely receive project and safety updates and instructions, it’s important to regularly revisit and incorporate trainings and discussions around inclusion.
Action:
AGC is hosting a Positive Jobsite Culture Training presented by Mel Jones, director of Inclusion at Hoffman Construction Company, and Kimberly Sutton, senior manager of Diversity Equity & Inclusion at Fortis Construction, Inc., on October 15 in Lake Oswego. The training is in-person only but will be recorded and available in the future.
- Toolbox talk PDF link below.
The construction industry needs new talent. Otherwise, one of the most vital industries in the world—construction—will continue to face workforce shortages. Pride in building stretches back thousands of years and is still evident today when we see the incredible projects our industry brings to life. More recently, our workforce has been learning the skills, but the pride hasn’t always followed. Today, we want to focus on and recognize the programs (apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship) that are working to bring back that sense of pride and spotlight anyone in our workforce who has completed one of these specialized construction training programs.
Action:
- Watch, share, videos posted on AGC’s LinkedIn.
- Toolbox talk PDF link below.
Getting certified as a small business in the construction industry takes hard work. Small and diverse businesses must first prove their capabilities and deliver quality results, and certification adds an additional layer of challenges.
Action:
- AGC’s Inclusion Council is sponsoring a supplier diversity certification day on at OAME. If you are a COBID-qualifying small business in Oregon and Washington, need to renew or gain additional certifications—disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE), emerging small business (ESB), or veteran-owned small business (VOSB)—and want to pre-qualify with large companies such as Hoffman, Skanska, and Fortis, this day will help you get certified. Use the link below to register.
- Toolbox talk PDF link below.
Today is a day to celebrate, embrace, and appreciate the unique cultural aspects of the communities where we live and work. Each community has different needs, and it’s important to recognize those differences when considering how to give back. We encourage everyone—individuals, teams, and project locations—to take the time to invest in a community project.
Action: AGC’s Inclusion Council has assembled a list of community projects looking for volunteers. Review the list and find one that fits your team.
Community Volunteer Opportunities link.
- Toolbox talk PDF link below.
construction specific Inclusion resources
AGC believes that every individual has the right to a work environment that is free from harassment, hazing, and bullying. We are pleased to provide resources to ensure every employee at our member companies has the opportunity to reach their full potential by building a culture that is diverse, safe, welcoming, and inclusive.
The following resources have been vetted by our inclusion council.
- Culture of Care: Commit, Attract, Retain, and Empower (CARE), a national AGC of America program. Click here to visit the website.
- Safe From Hate: The Safe From Hate Alliance is comprised of employers, trade associations, unions, public agencies, community organizations, and tradesworkers to address jobsite culture. (they have a comprehensive list of additional programs on the site). Click here to visit the website.
- Rise Up Oregon: Respect. Inclusion. Safety. This program is designed provide all workers with the tools and support necessary to create and maintain a safe, inclusive, and productive environment for everyone. Click here to learn more.
- Green Dot: Their mission is to mobilize communities by harnessing the power of individual action to create a safe and equitable society. Click here to learn more.
- AGC of America’s Diversity & Inclusion Assessment. AGC members can use the insight gained by taking the 2023 Assessment in DEI strategic planning by comparing with your own past years and your competitors.
- Culture of Care
- Safe From Hate
- AGC Washington Chapter
- Construction Inclusion Week
- Arcade Wayfinding – Growing Construction Businesses Since 2014
- Maura Kelly, Portland State University: Respectful workplaces research and findings
- Personnelity Podcast hosted by Lauri Rollings. The mission of this podcast is to honestly approach the issues employers face in trying to not only create but actualize healthier, more just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.
- As the largest LGBTQ+ community center in the Pacific Northwest, Q Center proudly serves the LGBTQ2SIA+ communities of Portland Metro and Southwest Washington.
- Women’s PPE in Construction: The importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) tailored for women cannot be overstated.
- U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau and Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Safety at Work: Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in the Construction Industry Webinar
- National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER):
Questions
Viktoria Schulz, Products/Services and Marketing Manager, Inclusion Council Liaison
Become a Member
Experience the many benefits of membership with AGC…contact us today!