Throughout June, we celebrated Pride Month across our sites and offices with coffee mornings and the FREDIE campaign, which highlights the core values that guide how we work together every day: Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement.
Pride Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of our colleagues and reaffirm our commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome, valued, and empowered to be themselves.
This year, on International Women in Engineering Day, we are taking the opportunity to highlight some of the women who make a significant contribution to our business.
Everyday they drive progress and help shape the future of construction. We spoke to three of our engineers about what they enjoy most about working in the industry.
‘I enjoy the collaborative aspect of the role. Bringing ideas, people and systems together to reach a shared design goal is incredibly fulfilling. Seeing the work come together successfully on site is a great reminder of how powerful and effective coordination and communication can be.’ Lauren Walsh
‘I love being in the thick of it. Working on site is fast paced and unpredictable. It’s a great way of learning how to manage obstacles and coordinate teams to keep the project moving. It is satisfying seeing a project come together from design to the finished product.’ Anne Marie Kelly
‘I enjoy the problem-solving side of engineering and the satisfaction that comes from finding the right solution. Seeing a design develop from an initial concept into a finished project is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.’ Jennifer Mitchell
As part of the Construction Industry Federation’s Give to Gain campaign, we’re pleased to have Kate Brady representing PJ Hegarty as we mark International Women’s Day and celebrate the voices shaping our industry and communities.
Kate’s journey into construction is rooted in her interest as far back as Transition Year in problem-solving and building something tangible. Today, she thrives on seeing a project come to life and contributing to that process.
Across our sites and teams, capability, collaboration, and commitment continue to define success, not gender. As Kate shares, being a woman in construction means being part of a wider community that drives positive change across the sector.
We were joined by Women’s Aid for an impactful webinar. The focus was on raising awareness of domestic abuse and its impact in the workplace.
At PJ Hegarty, our values include safety, Sustainability, Inclusivity, Relationships, and Forward Thinking. All of which go hand in hand with addressing the societal issue of domestic violence. We have enrolled in ‘The Employer Response to Domestic Abuse’ training programme offered by Women’s Aid, ensuring we play an active part in addressing and preventing domestic violence and abuse in society.
This year, we celebrated Pride with a coffee morning across our sites and offices. This allowed us to come together and celebrate being a part of a company that keeps diversity and inclusion at the heart of it’s culture.
As part of this, we’ve also distributed whiteboards, inviting everyone to pledge their respect and support for their colleagues and communities.
At PJ Hegarty, we’re proud to champion a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and free to be themselves, not just during Pride, but every day of the year.
To mark world autism month, we hosted a webinar with by Adam Harris, founder and CEO of AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity. Adam founded AsIAm based on his own experiences growing up as an Autistic person in Ireland.
The session was packed with valuable insights, covering:
At PJ Hegarty, we’re proud to be a workplace where people are valued and supported. As holders of the Investors in Diversity Gold accreditation, this webinar is one of many steps we’re taking to champion diversity and inclusion across our organisation.
PJ Hegarty has been formally accredited with the Investors in Diversity Gold award by the Irish Centre for Diversity (ICD), a charity and leading provider of D&I training in Ireland. The accreditation recognises PJ Hegarty’s commitment to embedding the principles of fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement (FREDIE) within its culture and processes.
In 2020 the company decided to explore ways to create a diverse and inclusive business in a formal manner, after recognising that across the Irish construction industry, and the key professions from which PJ Hegarty hires, widespread diversity was not the norm, and a gender gap persisted.
The ICD assessment team has now recognised PJ Hegarty for implementing several progressive, strategic policies which have seen it earn an official inclusion score of 88pc – some 10pc above the national average. The ICD said PJ Hegarty had provided the appropriate resources and led by example. The work also showed that team members feel they are treated fairly, with respect and are valued for their differences.
Along with progress in Gender Pay Gap reporting, the ICD assessment team noted the company’s development of a new three-year strategy which takes account of both moral and business obligations; the introduction of updated maternity, mental health and wellbeing policies; the alignment of FREDIE principles to staff development, staff appraisals, and recruitment processes and the offer of D&I training sessions to subcontractors and partners.
Overall, the firm received an inclusion score of 88.8% from the ICD, an increase of almost 5% compared to 2022. The company also outperformed the average score of 79.5% across the construction and engineering industry and the national average of 78%. The inclusion score is calculated from data gathered through a staff survey.
PJ Hegarty also led the industry and the national average across all four assessment pillars, including diverse and inclusive leadership; policy, practice and process; recruitment, retention and progress and recording and monitoring.
The construction and civil engineering firm is one of just 28 organisations in Ireland to receive the Investors in Diversity Gold. Investors in Diversity is Ireland’s premier accreditation to recognise progress in D&I.
The company has made Diversity, Equity and Inclusion an integral part of its operations and has ensured that the principles are embedded across the organisation – from its strategic vision to employment policies, staff training and management of its supply chain.
Commenting on the award, Mr Maurice Killeen, PJ Hegarty Operations Director and chair of the company’s DEI Steering Committee, paid tribute to the team’s commitment to D&I principles and willingness to make them central to the business’s long-term strategy. He said:
“Our people have always been the focal point and strength of our company, and the evolution of our business by fostering a diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment to reflect their needs and societal change more broadly has been central to our culture and long-term business strategy. We are delighted to have been awarded the Gold accreditation from the Irish Centre for Diversity (ICD), joining only 27 other businesses in Ireland who have achieved this distinction.
“The ICD has been extremely supportive throughout the process, and this award is a welcome recognition of the collective efforts of our DEI Steering Committee, in particular, ERGs and all our staff. It is a fantastic achievement to celebrate with everyone and great motivation for the future.”
Caroline Cummins, Managing Director, Irish Centre for Diversity said:
“PJ Hegarty’s progress to Investors in Diversity Gold has been impressive. It has laid firm foundations and listened to the voice of all colleagues to ensure that there is a shared sense of belonging, and now they are proud holders of Investors in Diversity Gold. We look forward to sharing more of the company’s journey of continuous progress.”
We were delighted to be a Gold Sponsor of this years Construction Industry Federation International Women’s Day summit.
The event provided great insight with topics such as infrastructure, financial independence, pioneers in safety and building heroes discussed. Susan McGarry’s moving keynote address highlighted her remarkable journey of resilience leaving the audience in awe.
We were proud to have Sinead Gaines, our Regional EHS Manager, take part in the Pioneers in Safety panel, sharing insights on women’s leadership in health and safety. This again really reinforcing the importance of diversity in the industry.
Last week, to celebrate International Women’s Day, our Empowering Women in Construction Employee Resource Group (ERG) hosted a webinar with bestselling author Dr. Katriona O’Sullivan. Dr. O’Sullivan’s journey from overcoming homelessness and teenage motherhood to becoming an award-winning lecturer is a testament to the power of mentorship, support, and education in transforming lives. Katriona’s story reinforces the idea that having strong role models and accessible opportunities can help individuals reshape their futures.
During the session, Dr. O’Sullivan emphasised the role of mentorship and support systems in women’s success in traditionally male-dominated industries like construction. She spoke on the importance of creating environments where women can authentically express themselves, stating, “We have to think about the conversations, the community, and how can we make sure that women can be women while working in construction.” This resonates with our company values on inclusivity and relationships.
As part of our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, PJ Hegarty actively participates in initiatives that promote greater access to careers in construction and STEM. Our Head of HR, Jan Glynn, supports the Passport for Inclusion programme, ensuring that we not only open doors for the next generation of women in construction but also continue to develop a workforce that reflects the diversity of the wider community.
As we continue this journey, we recognise the importance of community and conversation in driving meaningful change. Dr. O’Sullivan’s experiences emphasise our commitment to creating a workplace where all employees, regardless of gender, can succeed and play a vital role in our shared success.
Read more about DEI at PJ Hegarty here.
Genevieve Rose, HR Business Partner at PJ Hegarty in our southern office, is passionate about establishing an inclusive workplace in construction, a supportive and inclusive environment for all employees, in particular women in the industry. With a focus on connections, Genevieve provides HR support for directors, managers, and employees, whether in the office or on-site. “I’m just a place for people to come when they need to vent,” she shares, emphasising the personal touch to her HR role.
Genevieve’s experience as a woman in the construction industry has been overwhelmingly positive, surrounded by a culture of respect and collaboration. “I knew these are the people for me,” she says, reflecting on her welcoming experience at PJ Hegarty. “We build buildings, but it’s the relationships and the people who are doing it and forming the teams with that makes the difference.” she concludes, stressing the vital role relationships play in shaping the industry’s future and continue to build a inclusive workplace in construction.
