The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set out plans to boost diversity in London’s infrastructure sector, as a new report commissioned by City Hall revealed women, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, disabled and LGBTQ+ Londoners are significantly under-represented in the industry.

The report, Supporting Diversity and Inclusion in the Infrastructure Sector, confirms women are under-represented in the industry compared to the economy as a whole: 21% versus 47% across all industries. Meanwhile, only 6% of those in the industry are from a BAME background, compared to an average of 15% across all industries.

The report also identifies a range of socio-economic factors which act as barriers to entering the infrastructure industry. They include the industry having a ‘white male’ image, which is reinforced by a lack of exposure to the sector through school careers guidance.

Recommended measures to address this include proactive outreach and mentoring initiatives, as well as better advertising of work experience placements.

More specifically, the mayor is committing to using his existing London enterprise adviser network to reach every London primary school over the next three to promote the infrastructure sector and highlight ways in which under-represented communities can make their way into infrastructure careers.

The mayor has also launched his new infrastructure advisory panel (IAP), comprising 43 leading figures from the infrastructure and development field who will advise the mayor on a range of issues. The membership of the panel is 30% BAME and 70% women.

Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, said: “In a city as dynamic as London, our infrastructure should be the envy of the world – a vital way of ensuring it’s as good as it possibly can be is to help the sector reflect the range of talent in the capital. That’s why I’m proud to announce the steps we’ll be taking to help increase diversity and inclusion in the infrastructure sector.

“I’m clear that your background should never be a barrier to what you can achieve – and I’m determined to do all I can to help London’s best and brightest make use of their skills across this important field.”

The mayor’s new IAP will meet on an ad-hoc basis to discuss and advise the mayor on specific infrastructure issues as they arise. Its members are:

•   Alexander Jan, Director and Chief Economist, Arup

•   Alice Maynard, Non-executive Director, Financial Conduct Authority and Director, Future Inclusion

•   Alison Norrish, Senior Director, Arup

•   Amanda Clack, Executive Director, CBRE

•   Anjali Ruparelia, Managing Director/Senior Managing Consultant, Top Point Consulting

•   Anjuli Patel, Senior Associate and Solicitor-Advocate, Dispute Resolution, Baker McKenzie

•   Anna Mansfield, Director of Strategy and Research, Publica

•   Anthony Peter, Director, Argent

•   Ayesha Waheed, Partner, Morgan Lewis

•   Brian Rechere, Executive Director of Operations (Highways), Jacobs

•   Chris Perkins, London Rail and Integration Director, Network Rail

•   Chris Waples, Non Executive Director, Pinnacle Power Ltd

•   Clare Wildfire, Global Practice Leader – Cities, Mott MacDonald

•   Corina Shika Kwami, Policy Advisor, Royal Academy of Engineering

•   Debbrah Phan, Director Business Development, BT

•   Elad Eisenstein, Director (Cities and Regeneration), Ramboll

•   Emily Brooke, Founder and Chair, Beryl

•   Harbinder Birdi, Senior Partner, Hawkins/Brown Architects

•   Jill Shaw, Director, PwC

•   Julie Dakin, Divisional Director, Mott Macdonald

•   Julie Wood, Director, Arup

•   Kate Kenny, Vice President, Head of Sector – Cities and Places, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Jacobs

•   Liane Hartley, Director, Mend

•   Lucy Howard, UK Head of Transport, Turner & Townsend

•   Lucy Padfield, Director, Ramboll

•   Maggie Baddeley, Town Planner and chartered surveyor, Troy Planning + Design (previous)

•   Margarethe Theseira, Head of Economics and Business Advisory, Jacobs

•   Martha Grekos, Director, Martha Grekos Legal Consultancy

•   Martin Woodhouse, Co-founder and Director of Development, PRD

•   Melanie Marchant, Managing Consultant/Engagement Director, Fluxx

•   Michael Reynolds, Managing Director – UK, Vattenfall

•   Miranda Sharp, Director – Innovation, Ordnance Survey

•   Niall Monaghan, Founding partner, Apt

•   Patricia Brown, Director and Founder, Central

•   Peter Joseph D’Souza, Director, Stantec

•   Roma Agrawal, Associate Director, AECOM

•   Shirley Henderson, Executive Director of Operations (Environment), Jacobs

•   Simon Pope, Agreement Manager/Property Acquisition Lead, Crossrail

•   Steven Bage, Infrastructure Programme Manager, City Of London Corporation

•   Steven Lee, Director, Turner & Townsend

•   Steven Steer, Head of Data, Ofgem

•   Sue Kershaw, Managing Director, KPMG

•   Zung Nguyen Vu, Strategy Lead, Arup

Click here for further information on London’s plans for better infrastructure diversity, co-ordination, and the new Infrastructure Advisory Panel.