Corporate News

Lords, a leading distributor of building materials in the UK, announces that it has recently joined the Construction Inclusion Coalition (CIC), an initiative launched by leading organisations in the sector to tackle a lack of diversity across the industry.

Launched in September 2023, the Construction Inclusion Coalition was established by CEOs at leading organisations including Aliaxis, Baxi, Bradfords, Highbourne Group, Ibstock PLC, Knauf, Travis Perkins PLC, Wavin, Wolseley, the Builders Merchants Federation (‘BMF’) and the National Merchant Buying Society (‘NMBS’), to raise sector standards on equity, diversity and inclusion, with an immediate focus on gender representation in its first year. 

Lords has joined the Coalition as a Coalition Member, where it will join a network of like-minded organisations, working together to foster collaboration and share knowledge and resources across the industry, with co-created solutions that will make a difference.

The construction sector has one of the most rapidly aging workforces in the UK, with research showing that close to a million construction workers, around a third of the UK’s total workforce, are set to retire in the next ten years. Despite this, the industry is currently only made up of 15% women and 6% from ethnic minority backgrounds and faces challenges attracting and recruiting from a diverse pool of talent. 

The Coalition was launched alongside polling which showed that only one third (36%) of British people would feel confident that their female family or friends would be safe and respected if they joined the construction industry. The research of over 2,000 adults also outlined the opportunity for the sector, with nearly half of people (46%) saying they would be more likely to actively seek out employment opportunities in the construction industry if it demonstrated a stronger commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

Shanker Patel, CEO of Lords, said: “I am delighted that we are actively demonstrating our commitment to improving diversity across the Lords Group of companies. I am passionate about the opportunities a more inclusive workplace can create for businesses and communities.”

Construction Inclusion Coalition Chairperson and Toolstation Managing Director, Angela Rushforth, added: “There is no doubt that the future of our industry is at risk if we do not create an environment where all our colleagues feel safe, empowered and confident. I want all young women to see the construction sector as I do - full of opportunity.” 

“We are not attracting and retaining from a diverse pool of talent, because many think the construction sector is not for them. These are industry-wide challenges that require industry-wide solutions, which is why the Construction Inclusion Coalition has been set up to improve equity, diversity and inclusion. We are calling on businesses across the sector, no matter how big or small, to join our Coalition and commit to taking action in their organisations.”

Alongside Coalition Partners, Lords is urging businesses across the industry to join the initiative and take the Built on Better Pledge. The pledge covers seven areas members commit to working on.

Lords will work alongside other Coalition Partners to enhance the impact of their individual equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, by fostering collaboration and establishing a network to share knowledge and resources across the industry and co-creating solutions that will make a difference. Progress will be tracked annually and shared in a public report.

The Coalition has been endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council, the leading body which draws together business leaders from across the construction sector and links them with the UK Government.

Construction Leadership Council Co-Chair and CEO of Mace, Mark Reynolds, commented: “The Construction Leadership Council has long been advocating for businesses and organisations in our sector to collaborate to make our industry more welcoming and inclusive. It is clear that ensuring a consistent approach to equity, diversity and inclusion will be vital for the future of construction, which is why we are pleased to support the Construction Inclusion Coalition. There is much work to be done, however I am confident that sharing knowledge and raising standards, we can make a meaningful impact across the sector.”

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES:

Notes to editors:

Lords is a specialist distributor of building, plumbing, heating and DIY goods.  The Group principally sells to local tradesmen, small to medium sized plumbing and heating merchants, construction companies and retails directly to the general public.

The Group operates through the following two divisions:

• Merchanting: supplies building materials and DIY goods through its network of merchant businesses and online platform capabilities.  It operates both in the 'light side' (building materials and timber) and 'heavy side' (civils and landscaping), through 31 locations in the UK


• Plumbing and Heating: a specialist distributor in the UK of plumbing and heating products to a UK network of independent merchants, installers and the general public.  The division offers its customers an attractive proposition through a multi-channel offering.  The division operates over 17 locations enabling nationwide next day delivery service.

Lords was established over 35 years ago as a family business with its first retail unit in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.  Since then, the Group has grown to a business operating from 48 sites.

Lords was admitted to trading on AIM in July 2021 with the ticker LORD.L.  For additional information please visit www.lordsgrouptradingplc.co.uk.

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For more information about the Construction Inclusion Coalition and how to join, please go to www.builtonbetter.uk or visit the Coalition’s LinkedIn here.

About the Construction Inclusion Coalition

The Construction Inclusion Coalition is an industry wide effort with a singular objective to improve equity, diversity and inclusion across the construction industry, to ultimately retain and attract talent, and ensure the longevity of the industry. It has been formed by 11 founding members including: Aliaxis, Baxi, Bradfords, Builders Merchants Federation, Highbourne Group, Ibstock PLC, Knauf, the National Merchant Buying Society, Travis Perkins PLC, Wavin, and The Wolseley Group. The Coalition is endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council, the leading body which draws together business leaders from across the construction sector and links them with the UK Government.

The Built on Better Pledge

• INSPIRE – Work together to inspire the next generation of leaders in the construction industry
• LISTEN – Conduct internal surveys on equity, diversity and inclusion, and to act on the main problems and barriers identified
• SHARE – Develop and share resources from within and beyond the construction industry
• SUPPORT – Support a healthy and collaborative workplace environment, and maintain a whistleblowing procedure where colleagues feel comfortable speaking out
• EDUCATE – Educate ourselves, our colleagues, and the wider industry around aspects of equity, diversity, and inclusion
• MEASURE – Commit to benchmarking, tracking and sharing equity, diversity, and inclusion data within organisations
• REPORT – Assess our equity, diversity, and inclusion progress on an annual basis, publishing a report and outlining a plan for further action every year as a Coalition