Follow our IWD 2024 blog series to hear from our leaders around the world about initiatives and programs geared towards investing in women at ArchTam.

Engage in this year’s conversations on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, it is my privilege to share the re-launch of Alliance – the Middle East & Africa’s (MEA) women mentorship program for our senior women employees. Each mentee will be mentored by a member of the regional leadership team over a nine-month period.

The goal of the program is to increase the engagement and retention of women professionals across the region and better support their career development. It will also enable our mentee community to interact across ArchTam’s regions and end markets, broadening communication and enhancing networking opportunities.

The mentoring program, considered a professional career investment opportunity, will be fully supported by the regional leadership team, not only during the mentoring sessions, but by creating enhanced career opportunities and business visibility for the participants. Creating a dynamic space where our leaders can offer further understanding of business leadership can motivate and instill confidence to strive to that level. It also allows our leaders to learn more about our organization, our people and our culture.

The program facilitates ‘leader-connect’, a concept where ArchTam’s women leaders from across the globe are invited to share their professional knowledge and experiences. Recognizing that women face different challenges and have unique needs in the workplace, this program aims to provide actionable advice on how to overcome this, especially in the engineering industry.

The last cohort, before the program’s hiatus in 2022, comprised nine women across varied business lines. For Kamiena Wong, Senior Project Manager, Buildings + Places, the program had an extremely positive impact on her career development.

Kamiena Wong, Senior Project Manager, Buildings + Places “It has been a very rewarding journey to help identify my priorities and interest areas that support my career growth at ArchTam. Based on my interests at work, my mentor exposed me to suitable opportunities that advanced my growth and next steps in the company. I have now started a new role that allows me to develop new skillsets that promote my future growth.”

Jennifer Stables, Associate Director, Civil Infrastructure, was promoted to her current role after the program’s completion. She was mentored by our Middle East and Africa Regional Chief Executive Hamed Zaghw.

Jennifer Stables, Associate Director, Civil Infrastructure “I enjoyed hearing about his experiences on his path to Regional Chief Executive and learnt more about ArchTam business priorities. I really appreciated the chance to have direct, one-on-one conversations and develop a relationship with someone so senior in our organisation. Since the program finished, I’ve had some wonderful opportunities to be engaged more with the senior leadership team.”

Across the MEA region, we actively work to increase the diversity of our business by championing and investing in women’s careers. The re-launch of the Alliance program cements our commitment and is a catalyst for accelerating their growth. By offering these kinds of programs, we contribute to a society that amplifies women’s voices and recognizes the value of the work they do, which can only benefit our work, our communities and our planet.

The post Accelerating our women’s career paths to leadership appeared first on Blog.

Follow our IWD 2024 blog series to hear from our leaders around the world about initiatives and programs geared towards investing in women at ArchTam.

Engage in this year’s conversations on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

According to Fortune magazine, in 2023, only 10.4 percent of Fortune 500 companies had women CEOs, and a quarter of these 52 leaders became CEOs in the previous year. These statistics prove that women still face challenges in progressing to senior leadership roles. Yet, there is a powerful beacon of hope: the success of mentoring in women’s career progression. Mentoring not only enhances job satisfaction but is pivotal in guiding women to hone essential skills and navigate their career landscape effectively.

Mentorship helps create a culture where high-potential women are supported and advocated for. This isn’t just about breaking through glass ceilings, it is about building scaffolds to reach and surpass them, ensuring that women are empowered to unleash their full potential.

As part of our continued investment in our women across Asia, we are launching a ‘Womentoring Circle’ program. Cissy Ho, Talent Management Director, Asia, is driving the program.

Cissy Ho, Talent Management Director, Asia “Empowerment goes beyond boundaries when women come together to uplift, inspire and mentor one another. This well describes the essence of our vision in Womentoring Circle,  where the strength of peer mentoring ignites a powerful network to support and guide us through personal and professional challenges. Together, we thrive and grow to reach new heights in our career aspirations.”

The program will run in Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, Southeast Asia and Taiwan and is designed by women for women. The Circles will meet monthly for 90-minute sessions. The peer mentoring methodology is supported by the nonprofit Lean In which combines a world-class leadership curriculum with the power of women coming together for collective learning, growth and support.

Rosaline Lau, Executive Director, Structural, Building Engineering, Hong Kong “A successful career is not about being perfect. It’s about cherishing every opportunity to learn, to grow and to achieve what you dreamed to become. Be courageous and live your unique story! I encourage all my women colleagues to participate in Womentoring Circles!”

Mentorship for women serves as a catalyst for change within organizations. By altering prevalent perceptions of women’s capabilities, it instills a greater sense of confidence and a higher chance for women to ascend to leadership roles. Here are a few examples:

• Creating a safe space: Peer mentorship carves out a secure environment for women to voice their career aspirations. This empowerment leads to a more pronounced articulation of these ambitions to form concrete career development actions, fostering a culture where high-potential women’s ambitions are well-respected and recognized.

• Accountability and performance: A Circle of peer mentorship acts as a steadfast support network, ensuring women remain accountable and committed to each other’s career development goals. This partnership is directly linked to boosted performance, enhanced employee engagement, and ultimately, a rise in employee retention rates.

• Networking and visibility: One of the profound benefits of having women peer mentors is the expansion of one’s professional network. Whether a Circle is made of co-workers from the same business line, or other women colleagues going through similar family life stages, this tight-knit support group will carry them through both personal and professional challenges. Most importantly, people tend to learn best in groups where they can benefit from different perspectives and be motivated by the group dynamics.

Peer mentorship imbues women leaders with the confidence to act upon their career ambitions and undertake necessary steps to accelerate professional growth. It also contributes to the broader organizational goals of enhancing diversity and offering platforms for constructive feedback, which is a cornerstone of helping women overcome workplace challenges and elevate their achievements. When we invest in Womentoring Circle programs, we are not just bridging the gender gap, we are laying down the foundation for a more diverse, equitable and inclusive business landscape.

Jagriti Dawra, Executive Director, Environment, Singapore “Womentoring Circle in its true sense is aimed to be a guiding light from a woman leader to another budding leader, a heart-to-heart talk, as no one understands a woman better than another woman. In the current world, a woman holds many responsibilities, and this program aims to help in juggling between these responsibilities better, learning from each other’s experiences on how to overcome personal and professional hurdles in order to pave a way for ambitious young women of ArchTam to become better leaders of the future.”

The post WoMentoring Circles: A peer mentoring approach to women’s leadership success appeared first on Blog.

Follow our IWD 2024 blog series to hear from our leaders around the world about initiatives and programs geared towards investing in women at ArchTam.

Engage in this year’s conversations on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

We sat down with Kate Dunton, Director, Clients and Marketing, Australia and New Zealand and James Rosenwax, Regional Managing Director, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, who are also co-chairs of our ED&I Committee in Australia and New Zealand, to talk about International Women’s Day 2024 and the programs we have in place to support women’s progress in our Australia and New Zealand region.

Tell us why aligning with the United Nations’ (UN’s) International Women’s Day (IWD) is important.

Kate: I’m really passionate about this one. By aligning with the UN’s International Women’s Day theme, I think we position ourselves more meaningfully to a global movement. Our purpose is to deliver a better world, and UN IWD is an opportunity to align with the community in accelerating progress towards gender equality on a global scale. It can’t just be words and morning teas – we need to use our organisational context to promote genuine gender equality. I’m really proud of all we do supporting women within our organisation, but also in driving more women into STEM and in building gender equality for minorities and First Nations communities. I love that the UN’s International Women’s Day recognition serves as a catalyst for a more extensive, collective effort, and how it brings attention to the specific challenges faced by women and girls globally.

James: Aligning with the UN’s International Women’s Day recognition is important for us, particularly given the theme for 2024: “Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress,” which shines a spotlight on women’s economic empowerment. We know that when we have diverse, inclusive workplaces, our business thrives, so investing in women and accelerating their progress at ArchTam is not only the right thing to do but makes strong business sense. IWD is more thana local celebration — it’s a global celebration fostering collaboration across borders, emphasizing that no country has fully achieved gender equality. By participating in IWD events, we actively contribute to advancing gender equality, whether by showing up, sponsoring and donating to initiatives, or spreading awareness. IWD isn’t just about recognizing achievements and challenges — it’s a collective effort to work towards a future where gender equality is a reality for all.

Tell us about the ANZ region’s Advocate sponsorship program for women.

James: Advocate is a sponsorship program that I have been a part of since its inception five years ago. The program is in partnership with an external company called Cultivate, and it pairs our ANZ executive team with high-potential women employees. Together, we participate in a year-long curated mentor program that focuses on honing leadership skills, expanding professional networks, pinpointing areas for professional growth, and sharing life stories and experiences. Spending time with my sponsee is my priority, and I find real job satisfaction in our relationship. I learn a lot from my sponsee, and it ends up being a two-way relationship. By spending 12 months on the program, we can develop personalized connections and focus on investing in the development of our talented individuals. We create a supportive environment conducive to career advancement and overall success. We have received great feedback from the women that have participated in the program.

Elizabeth Kittoli, Technical Director, Structures “When I found out I was nominated, I was excited. I was initially slightly uncomfortable just because, to some, this might seem like preferential treatment for women. But women, they don’t necessarily get the same type of sponsorship, especially into leadership roles, as men do. You get to make connections, network, and just overall access to the senior leadership team.”

Kate: In my three-year journey as a sponsor in ArchTam’s Advocate program, I am continually surprised by what I personally get from it. I have established several long-standing and mutually beneficial relationships – dare I say, friendships! Working in a predominantly male industry, this program has forced me to recognize the need to address organic male sponsorship bias, and I’ve reassessed my sponsorship approach – I think I’ve become a lot more intentional and conscious of the environment that women work in and the opportunities they are afforded. We need to tackle many other levels of diversity, but creating a strong and successful women leadership pipeline and providing excellent opportunities to our highest-performing women is incredibly rewarding.

Amanda Kerr, Area Manager – Hunter “I had previously lacked the confidence to engage and form effective relationships with senior management across the business.  Spending time with Kate and being exposed to the broader leadership team, participating in their meetings, helped me realize that I do have the relevant experience to contribute. I also carve out more time for clients and strategy.”

What other steps is ArchTam taking to embrace gender equity, or what has impressed you most to date?

James: We are committed to advancing gender equity within our organization and have developed a comprehensive gender equity strategy.

In tandem with our efforts, we are actively working to challenge and disrupt prevailing gender stereotypes and norms. Our overarching goal is to cultivate a corporate culture that is not only equitable but also flexible for individuals of all genders.

In pursuit of our commitment, we have implemented participation targets, both globally and internally within ANZ. These targets, publicly reported to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency for transparency, align with our vision of achieving a gender-balanced workforce, where 40 percent of positions are held by women, 40 percent by men, and 20 percent by individuals identifying outside the binary. This intentional approach ensures measurable progress toward our aspiration of fostering an inclusive and diverse corporate environment.

Kate: I genuinely think ArchTam is committed to creating an environment where women thrive, and I love that we are investing significantly in programs that empower women. I wouldn’t have stuck around so long otherwise! Our gender equity strategy includes initiatives such as the Advocate sponsorship program and our mCircles network, which brings together women from across career levels to swap advice, attend development workshops, and explore job opportunities within ArchTam. I’ve been a member of mCircles for many years, and I have established great relationships, received good support, and learned a lot. We’re teaming up with organizations like Work180 and Where Women Work to not only encourage more women to join us but also build a powerful network of women talent. I am also proud to have participated in the development of an explicit framework of inclusive hiring and remuneration review practices.

And, of course, our Freedom to Grow framework gives us all the flexibility to work in a way that suits our lives and career development. This has allowed my life and family to (mostly!) balance well over many years.

Learn more about our Advocate sponsorship program, mCircles network and Freedom to Grow framework from our women who have benefited from them:

The post Accelerating women leadership development through mentorship appeared first on Blog.

Follow our IWD 2024 blog series to hear from our leaders around the world about initiatives and programs geared towards investing in women at ArchTam.

Engage in this year’s conversations on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

Patrícia Vieira, Senior Vice President Finance, Europe & India, shares how ArchTam, as an employer committed to gender equality, is working to support women through its Gender Alliance Employee Resource Group (ERG), and parenting and carer support.

As a working woman and mother, I wholeheartedly believe that ensuring women’s rights in the workplace is fundamental to our future. I have daughters and I want them, and every one of their friends, to have the opportunity to achieve all they can. So, the theme chosen by the United Nations this year to mark International Women’s Day: ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’, is something that I would encourage all employers to actively address.

Rebalancing care responsibilities

Firstly, it’s important to consider that there are many external factors globally that impact women and subsequently impact women in the workplace.  According to a recent UN report, due to protracted conflicts and the accelerating impacts of climate change, unpaid care work and domestic work is unevenly placed on women, particularly those aged 26 to 35, which coincides with the age a woman typically has their first child. The same report again highlights what most people already see, that caring for aging parents disproportionately falls on women too.

Our Freedom to Grow framework empowers both male and female employees to work in a way which suits their team and their clients, whilst balancing other priorities in their lives and ensuring these responsibilities don’t fall mainly on women.

Supporting women’s careers

When we talk about accelerating change, support and remuneration in the workplace is a huge area where businesses globally can make change. Part-time work is a driver of a pay gap as it is more common in lower paid roles, but it persists even among full-time men and women employees. It demonstrates, among other things, that more women work in lower paid sectors.

So, what can businesses such as ArchTam do to support women in the workplace and throughout their careers? One of the most important steps we have taken in the last couple of years is to establish our Gender Alliance ERG in Europe and India. It’s supporting the business in many areas, including reducing of our gender pay gap. Part of the ERG’s 2024 strategy reflects a commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity at ArchTam. With objectives centered on awareness, gap reduction, growth in membership, and engagement, the Gender Alliance ERG aims to create an environment where everyone can thrive, regardless of gender.

Empowering working parents

A notable initiative within the Gender Alliance ERG is the Working Parents Group with 243 members across the region. Open to working parents across Europe and India, this platform serves as a space to seek advice, connect with peers and gain support. As a working mother, I know how invaluable the support of colleagues can be when transitioning back into the workplace. The group has doubled its membership to 243 members this month, showcasing its success in fostering collaboration across various ERGs. This group has great diversity of men and women and is working to encourage shared caring responsibilities.

Maternity Buddies and Working Parent’s Champions initiatives highlight the Gender Alliance ERG’s dedication to parental support. We now have more than 100 volunteers and a gender-diverse representation from across Europe and India.

As the UN strives to achieve gender equality in all aspects of life, the Gender Alliance ERG is proud to support ArchTam in actively contributing to a future where everyone is respected for who they are and their expertise, irrespective of gender, at work and beyond. As a mother and working woman, it’s great to see the impact it is making at ArchTam.

At a corporate level, the region’s talent programme, called EMPOWER, places a specific focus on career development and has provided the opportunity for women within our business to build skills to thrive and progress.

Hear from Louise Dougan, an associate bid director and a Working Parent Champion, about how ArchTam supported her to balance her work and family life:

“I joined ArchTam’s Major Pursuits team for Europe & India in 2021. Whilst Belfast is my home location, I am involved in pursuits and bids which are delivered across the full portfolio and geographical range of our United Kingdom & Ireland business. I love the variety and fast-paced nature of my job. However, it does bring its challenges with juggling family life, including travel and relentless deadlines. With a bit of forward planning and co-ordination with my partner (also a full-time working parent) I am able to achieve my professional goals without it disrupting the flow of family life.

In the last 13 years, I’ve experienced the return-to-work transition after two consecutive maternity leaves, part-time working, and a return to full-time working since my children were six and seven years old. I’ve grown in confidence over the years to ask for help, both at home and at work, and not to stress about the things I can’t control, such as sick children or teacher strikes. The ArchTam culture, ways of working and benefits such as Freedom to Grow, flexible and hybrid working and utilizing extra leave have been game changers for me. Whilst it’s not always perfect, I do feel that right now, the work/family life balance is finally there.”

The post Thriving together: How we support our working parents appeared first on Blog.

Follow our IWD 2024 blog series to hear from our leaders around the world about initiatives and programs geared towards investing in women at ArchTam.

Engage in this year’s conversations on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

In addition to being the Risk Management Director and Vice President for ArchTam’s U.S. West region, Wendy Lau serves on our Global and Americas ED&I steering committees, is a strategic partner for our Global Well-Being program, a global mental health ally, and the president of the Women’s Leadership Alliance, the women’s employee resource group for our Americas region. In this blog, Wendy highlights WLA’s triumphs over the past year and the path ahead to further empower our women leaders and invest in communities where everyone thrives.

Women’s Leadership Alliance (WLA) is an employee resource group for our employees in the Americas region (U.S. East, U.S. West and Canada) and Construction Management business and is focused on supporting our women professionals to achieve their leadership potential through networking and skills development.

As the WLA gets ready for arguably one of our busiest times of the year — International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month — I’m taking a moment to breathe and celebrate all the wins from the past year, big and small.

As many of us can attest, it can be daunting to plan, organize, and execute a huge project or series of projects. Sometimes, you get lost in the weeds and start stressing out over everything — every little thing. Other times, you want to play ostrich, find a nice hole to stick your head into, and hope for the best. Still other times, you just feel overwhelmed — with all of it — and wish that someone else would just take the wheel.

It’s in those moments that I remind myself to be present, to acknowledge the triumphs and the lessons learned, and to appreciate all the things that beautifully came together to get us here — to this particular time, to this unique place, to this previously unfathomable opportunity. And after I do that — I am grateful. I am humbled by what we have achieved, and what we can continue to achieve, when we work together.

I think collaboration is an integral part of the building blocks to success. It’s taking what has worked before, expanding on it, and growing it to evolve into something even better. It’s being cognizant of the gift of people’s time, energy and commitment and not wasting those precious resources.

If you ask my vice president, Caitlin Cavanagh, what my most used phrase is, she’ll say it’s “Let’s not reinvent the wheel.”

She’s not wrong. I use this phrase a lot.

So why does that matter? It matters because it’s in the spirit of collaboration, best practices, and thinking outside of the box, that the WLA has yet again, had another amazing year. In FY23, we partnered — a lot. We embraced the intersectionality of our identities and said, “with whom can we collaborate?” “Who can we bring into this discussion?”  But it wasn’t just looking at where identities merged, it was a conscious effort to de-silo equity, diversity and inclusion and push for a leveling up. “What department or leader can we engage to demonstrate the importance and applicability of ED&I to all facets of our work and life?” “How do we incorporate this into our day-to-day?”

A year of community and allyship

In FY23, the WLA partnered with our talent acquisition team to field a team of amazing women engineers, designers and architects at the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) conference and career fair that took place in October in Los Angeles. While the event itself occurred in the first quarter of FY24, much blood, sweat and tears were expended in the planning and organizing process at the end of FY23. Shout out to our awesome boots on the ground women at SWE: Caitlin Cavanagh, Holly Holbrook, Ginger L’Heureux, May Pang, Carrie Robbins, Lucy Terza and Victoria Watson; our social media content gurus: Shannon Hoff and Summer Baruth; and our skilled talent acquisition people: Matthew Petties, Natalie Fisher and Brittany Portalski. And we would be remiss if we didn’t call out our business lines and departments that supported this team’s attendance and participation at this very important diversity career fair, so a big thank you to our Buildings + Places, Environment, Federal, ArchTam Hunt (Construction Management), Transportation, and Water businesses. This remarkable collaboration not only energized our employees by reminding them that they work with really cool people on really cool projects, but also allowed people to share their stories and experiences with the next generation of STEM leaders and encourage them to dream big and come work with us!

Throughout the year, WLA also hosted, planned, sponsored, and executed a number of events, including but not limited to, a panel on Male Allyship; a discussion with phenomenal ArchTam women leaders sharing their career journeys and words of advice; an open benefits forum with ArchTam’s benefits team; multiple ED&I-focused Book + Club events with other ERGs; our second annual virtual networking mixer; a collaboration with our Pride ERG for a moving Trans Day of Visibility event; and a three-part Summer Series on giving effective presentations.

More on the horizon

So, what’s next? For a bunch of forward-thinkers, movers and shakers like the WLA, we’ve got big plans! At the end of the fourth quarter of FY23, we started planning  for a three-month long collaboration — from March 2024 to May 2024 — with our global Water business line, Surge for Water (a women-led global nonprofit dedicated to solving the global water and sanitation crisis), and our other ERGs to support water projects in Uganda and Indonesia, where millions of people lack basic water services. As we all need water to survive and thrive, centering our efforts on water and our role in designing and building infrastructure that provides clean water for all, is a way to leverage the ERGs as an important business asset that directly impacts and affects delivering a better world. As my WLA secretary, Lu Chen, so aptly put it: “Access to clean water is fundamental for human health, both mentally and physically. Improved water access positively impacts health outcomes, reduces poverty, and fosters environmental sustainability, all crucial components of global well-being.” With the support of our other ERGs as well as all our coworkers throughout ArchTam, we are looking forward to an educational, fun, and inspiring three months!

I could go on and on, in vivid detail, about all the things that the WLA has done and what else is on the horizon, but we’d be here a long while.   These efforts help us shape the culture of our workplace to be one where everyone feels like they belong and where we are all collaborating and sharing and lifting each other up. Throughout this blog, there have been multiple shout outs — trust me, there are so many more! That was intentional. It demonstrates just how much the WLA purposefully calls people in and encourages them to lead positive change within and outside the organization. We don’t want to reinvent the wheel. We want to make it better.

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Infrastructure shapes how we live our lives—and how society makes progress. On International Women’s Day, Lara Poloni traces her 30-year career journey from urban planner to ArchTam President, outlining what progress can look like when organizations embrace equity – and when women stand up and seize opportunities.

Infrastructure is a living testament to our progress in communities around the world, reflecting social and economic impact as well as the values we share and our aspirations for the future. When done right, infrastructure is a conduit for access, equity and sustainability.

On International Women’s Day, I’m reminded that to achieve progress and create opportunities for ourselves and others, we must – regardless of gender – do something simple yet daunting: we must be bold with our own aspirations, and that often means starting with saying ‘yes’ rather than focusing on the reasons to say ‘no’.

In an unequal society that is no easy task, especially for women. For so long, many of us have experienced barriers to career progression that have led to historical and ongoing inequities. During my 30-year career, I’ve witnessed some of those inequities first-hand. But I’ve also watched so many women and men bravely confront and overcome them by calling out bias, affirming one another, reckoning with doubts, and making hard choices that have led the way toward a more equitable industry and society. In short, we said ‘yes.’

‘Starting with yes’ is powerful, which I learned very early in my career. But sometimes you need the confidence that comes with time and experience, or with a sponsor who will look out for you to consciously shift to ‘yes’ rather than acceptance of ‘no’ or ‘too hard, not now.’

When I finished college, I naturally applied for graduate level jobs, which assumed no work experience but, of course, preferred it.Dealing with rejections was really tough, but I kept at it.

One day, I decided I wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer. I walked into the office of the best urban planning practice in Melbourne. I told them that I would work for free and, if they didn’t like me, they could let me go after a month.

They never did.

I learned so much from that first experience about backing myself, and that I shouldn’t be afraid of my own drive to succeed. It was a lesson that served me well later in my career when the stakes were higher.

After many fulfilling years at ArchTam, gaining valuable experience and confidence, and managing various parts of the Environment and Transportation businesses, I was presented with a new opportunity: to become Chief Executive of ArchTam’s Australia and New Zealand business.

I was stunned and unsure if I was truly ready. Nevertheless, I said ‘yes’. 

My appointment as a senior woman in a sector underrepresented by women brought with it a level of interest and opportunity that I used to my advantage, spearheading initiatives that benefited ArchTam, and our industry.

We launched ambitious equity, diversity and inclusion targets, led our local industry in workplace flexibility, and deepened our engagement with schools to encourage young women to join the industry—efforts which fed into our graduate recruitment and a 50/50 gender split. We also commenced a long-term work placement program for young indigenous women and men, which almost a decade on continues to inspire a lot of pride in our teams.

Even in my subsequent roles as Europe, Middle East and Africa Chief Executive, and, more recently, as ArchTam President, there was that element of “how am I going to do this?” but the prior experiences of backing myself gave me the confidence I needed to say ‘yes’ to my future opportunities.  In fact, whenever am I asked for career advice from many women at ArchTam or in our industry, I start by saying that “you need to be bold and back yourself first and foremost”.

These steps in my career taught me that success, in many ways, comes from uncertainty. Only by saying ‘yes’ to ourselves can we also say ‘yes’ to others, giving them the opportunity to thrive. It’s these small actions—these affirmations of ourselves and others—that constitute progress. And in my role as ArchTam’s President, progress has been my purpose.

Today, women make up more than 33 percent of our workforce, while two thirds of our executive team and 50 percent of our Board are from a diverse background. We’re seeing Employee Resource Groups flourish across our regions, contributing to a more inclusive culture at ArchTam. We’re pioneering flexibility in the workplace that gives both women and men the freedom to grow. And these efforts to champion equity, diversity and inclusion have received recognition from The Human Rights Campaign, Ethisphere, Fortune, and more.

Infrastructure is driving progress around the world, enabling more sustainable and resilient solutions to address the climate emergency. It is also promoting equitable representation and participation. For women in particular, there is massive opportunity to continue to step up and lead this positive change.

To do so will take openness—not only to our differences, but to our aspirations as well. Challenges? There will be plenty. But we’re determined to build a more equitable world by standing up, by being heard, by ‘starting with yes.’

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Earlier this year, we teamed up with an organisation called STEM Learning to create a series of ENTHUSE Partnerships across the United Kingdom which will generate STEM career awareness and prospects for thousands of young people and help encourage more young women to consider a STEM career. This collaboration will contribute to one of our Sustainable Legacies (our Environmental, Social and Governance strategy) goals to ensure women are properly represented at all levels in the workforce at ArchTam.

We need to do more to encourage women and others from underrepresented groups to join the industry. One way to achieve this is by engaging young people from our local schools and communities to introduce them to the possibility of pursuing STEM careers.

Over three years, local ArchTam offices will work with STEM Learning to connect with schools in their area and deliver expert coaching for teachers, equipping them with the tools to inspire the next generation of STEM stars.

Meanwhile, young people across the UK will receive careers support, access to exciting enrichment opportunities and will be able to network with ArchTam STEM Ambassadors, across career levels and job roles, who will provide a real-life context to the students’ learning by explaining more about their career journeys, bringing STEM careers to life.

The partnership is up and running in the south and southwest of England in areas including Bristol, Oxford and Southampton. Our investment means young people and young women in these communities will be encouraged to pursue equitable opportunities in STEM.

 This partnership will provide structured support for our people to engage with and support local schools to create mutually beneficial outcomes. The range of expertise at ArchTam is vast, and our people are keen to help teachers and young people understand more about the scope of jobs in this industry to open opportunities for careers which are fulfilling and making a positive impact in solving the world’s most pressing challenges. We hope to encourage more girls to pursue STEM subjects at school and find a home in our industry.

The lasting positive impact of this partnership is a continued improvement in young people’s career prospects including those in underserved areas.

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Most people know Taiwan as an Asian economic tiger. With a population of around 20 million, this island nestled off the coast of China is also home to 2.3 percent Indigenous Taiwanese of Austronesian ethnicity, peoples also found in Micronesia, New Guinea, Polynesia and Madagascar. In Taiwan, these Indigenous minority peoples are split into many small groups that maintain their tribal identities and customs.

In 1986, the village of Shi-ma-hsian, home to local Atayal people, was destroyed by a typhoon and landslides. Although advised by the government to leave their tribal land, most choose to stay, living in prefabricated housing donated by a local charity. Over the years, that temporary housing deteriorated.

The village women, renowned for their industrious nature in managing the local economy and tribal life, always sought new permanent housing designed to support their identity and lifestyle and maintain the location of the village.

Working with the Disaster Relief Foundation, we are supporting the development of a new modern village. The project site occupies an area of one hectare and can accommodate 44 household dwellings. The new village housing will be completed in 2024.

Our team has worked closely with a committee led by two local women to represent the village. Important topics such as design needs, budget, schedules and vendor selection were discussed and mutually agreed upon with the local women leaders. Six different types of housing were identified.

Based on feedback from the villagers, safety and durability are the top design priorities. Good insulation, waterproofing and ventilation are also required. Some housing will be solely for private residence, and as there are many old people in the tribe, the first floor of many dwellings is specifically designed to be barrier-free. Some housing will also have extra accommodation considering the community’s plans for establishing bed and breakfast businesses in the future. As the tribe is planning to develop local tourism, maintaining a genuine cultural environment is vital resulting in the design of traditional balconies and semi-outdoor spaces to be used for tribal gatherings.

During this project, our team attended many tribal meetings to make presentations and communicate the housing plans with the entire village as well as to become aware of the cultural perspective and lifestyle choices of this small group of Indigenous people. The learnings from these meetings will be incorporated into the project design.

This project will not only provide permanent housing for the tribe but help revive their local economy so that the young people who have left the village due to a lack of opportunity will come back to work and live in their community, which once again can grow and flourish.

The project is a powerful example of how embracing equity can help local Indigenous women maintain their identity and village location and give a little-known minority group a better chance of a successful future.

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Rarely does a professional project align so well with one’s passion quite like it did for me during the modernization of the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin, Texas. The opportunity to lead this project amplified my passion for empowering young women to pursue STEM careers.

Founded in 2007 on the vision of Governor Ann Richards, the mission of the school is “to prepare young women to attend and graduate from college, commit to a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle, lead with courage and compassion, and solve problems creatively and ethically in support of our global community.” Comprised of students equally committed to this mission and changing their community and the world one day, the school is advancing education and empowering women from all backgrounds, especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, by providing the skills and confidence they need to succeed in college, career and life. This public, all-girls college preparatory school serves grades 6 through 12 and is open to all qualified students in Austin Independent School District (AISD). With a proud 100 percent graduation rate, the U.S. News & World Report ranks the Ann Richards School at #20 in the state of Texas and #128 nationally. Children at Risk ranked the Ann Richards School at #2 in the Greater Austin High School Rankings and #33 in the state of Texas.

A proud partnership and vision

ArchTam partnered with the Austin Independent School District (AISD) as the program manager to successfully deliver their $1.05 billion 2017 Bond Program to modernize the urban learning experience. The new Ann Richards School, a 184,000-square-foot facility, features modernized, collaborative and flexible spaces including outdoor classrooms, state-of-the-art STEAM classrooms, a two-story library (with a slide), new fine and performing arts spaces, and new athletics facilities. My personal favorite is the makerspace where girls get hands on experience with laser cutters, 3D printers and power tools to create amazing projects like furniture, musical instruments and robots.

Ann Richards School students are on a journey to becoming lifelong leaders not only in the classroom but also through extracurriculars like sports, fine arts and leadership programs. Keeping these multi-faceted student aspirations in mind was key to developing and showcasing this sense of community and advancement of women in leadership.

Strong leadership approach for strong leaders

This project was initially planned to be the first phase of a multi-phase modernization of the existing campus, originally built as a middle school. With strategic permitting, alternative delivery, value engineering, and collaboration under ArchTam’s management, the project team provided a full campus replacement increasing student capacity by 20 percent and providing brand new efficient and sustainable mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, modern security, and a full-size competition-level track and field facility.

Several project challenges arose that our management approach successfully overcame, including a program-wide strategy to present to the City of Austin Historic Preservation Committee. We also coordinated student transport to offsite locations for athletics and extracurriculars during construction.

All contributors to this project, especially the women, were proud to be part of such an important and transformative school for the school district and the Austin community. Women were involved in nearly every aspect of the project including the project managers, construction managers, architects, engineers, sheet metal fabricators, painters, cleaners, and local artists. For students to observe firsthand the strong women involved at every stage of this project was especially meaningful and rewarding.

Achievements and recognition

Ann Richards School has been recognized with several awards including the Austin Business Journal’s 2022 Community Impact Award, the 2022 Austin Association of General Contractors Outstanding Construction Award, and two 2022 awards by the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA): 2022 Project Achievement Award in Education, and the 2022 National Project of the Year Award. The building is also LEED Silver Certified and received a 3-star Austin Energy Green Building rating.

We are proud to have contributed to such a meaningful project with AISD, uplifting communities and prioritizing the needs of future women leaders.

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We seek to build diverse teams, create an inclusive workplace, and provide opportunities to support women in the local community across our Middle East and Africa region. Our mCircles AlUla initiative is a testament to that commitment, and is giving local women entrepreneurs the skills they need to succeed.

Originally launched in 2014 in the United States, mCircles  was  created to help ArchTam’s women professionals seek and receive mentorship and boost their career growth.  Recently, this grassroots initiative was launched in our newest office in the Middle East in AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Adapting the format, mCircles AlUla extended its welcome to local women working in the AlUla Governate. Offering a supportive space for soft skills education and development opportunities, the inclusive forum allows for the sharing of experiences amongst aspiring women entrepreneurs. Each session is guided by a theme allowing for varied discussion and group mentoring. Topics range from finance to sales and marketing. 

Organized in collaboration with our client, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)—the Saudi government entity responsible for the development and protection of the AlUla province—and with the support and capabilities building company, AstroLabs, this is the first forum of its kind in AlUla, designed to upskill and empower local women.

mCircles AlUla to launch its third session for IWD 2023
To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, the team in AlUla launched the third edition of the group mentoring program. The session supported around 40 participants in identifying the best strategies to market their businesses and/or products to the RCU.

Sarah Alanazi, a Saudi national from the AlUla region who was hired through the ArchTam graduate program, is now one of our colleagues facilitating the program. “ArchTam has given local women a great educational opportunity that has affected their businesses at a personal and professional level,” she says.

“The women have such an opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in their field who can guide them as mentors and help them to expand their business to contribute effectively to the local community. With ArchTam providing this opportunity, it has started to, and will continue to, benefit everyone and further enrich our community.”

AlUla Redevelopment Program 
Creating opportunities for women is one of the focus areas of the RCU’s AlUla Redevelopment Program, where we are serving as executive program manager. As this program transforms the area, international businesses are coming into the governate to provide goods, services and experiences from construction, to resorts and events. So that the program can fully succeed, it is essential that it also benefits the local communities. Our work with local women entrepreneurs enhances their role within the community, as well as their incomes. It also generates broader employment opportunities for local people.

An example of the program’s success
Annayat, the owner of a local bakery, participated in our first mCircles event in the Middle East. She joined the mentoring circle discussion in sales and marketing where female entrepreneurs shared their challenges and solutions.

Through the knowledge and best practices sharing process, she developed an understanding for the need to build a brand around her business, including the creation of a logo, packaging, and stationery. Prior to the event, she had no network in the marketing and branding field.

Because of mCircles, Annayat was able to connect with Arwa, a brand development specialist who developed a compelling brand identity for Annayat, encompassing all her business needs.

Annayat believes this networking and support has opened new opportunities for her business. She will be among the business owner speakers at the next mCircles event in the region.

“mCircles has really enhanced the local community with these opportunities for local women and women entrepreneurs,” says Leisa Vink, our logistics and administration manager who also leads the mCircles program. “The sessions so far have helped many women build confidence, connections and prospects. There is so much strength when people with similar interests and diverse backgrounds come together and work toward the same goals, kindness and kinship… it’s an incredible sense of community that we have fostered.”

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