We introduced our FAIR strategy in 2019 and, since then, we have implemented several changes across the business through our FAIR committee, which has the full support of our executive team. The changes are part of our commitment to create a more diverse workforce and inspire more people to consider careers within the construction industry and include:
Improvements in maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.
Setting recruitment equality targets.
Launching an unconscious bias education programme to support managers awareness of how their own views may impact recruitment or personal development.
New corporate photography, better reflecting our diverse workforce for promoting our business.
Fairness, awareness, inclusion & respect at Hanson
FAIR in action
A key objective of our FAIR committee is to increase awareness and support for people with disabilities and ensure Heidelberg Materials UK is known as a place where people from any background feel happy and comfortable and can achieve a successful, long-term career.
The award scheme recognises organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community and align their values with the covenant.
“Receiving the gold award is a tremendous honour and a reflection of our deep-rooted commitment to the armed forces and cadet community,” said Jops Hill, Social Value and FAIR Coordinator.
“It not only recognises our policies, but also the culture we’ve built; one that values service, supports transition and celebrates the unique strengths of those connected to the armed forces.”
Our concrete mixer with Royal British Legon livery.
The award follows last year’s re-signing of our Armed Forces Covenant, which reaffirmed our commitment to being a forces-friendly employer and a fair, respectful and inclusive company.
We continue to champion the covenant across our sector, encouraging our supply chain and partners to sign up and progress through the ERS.
Our support includes offering enhanced paid leave for reservists and cadet instructors, maintaining open communication with line managers and ensuring flexibility around training and deployment.
It also extends to the cadet movement through sponsorship, volunteering and mentoring opportunities, helping young people develop skills and confidence for the future.
We actively work with the Career Transition Partnership and Forces Families Jobs to welcome former service personnel and their families into our workforce, recognising that they offer a range of transferable skills that can make an important contribution to our business.
Internally, we’ve cultivated a supportive and inclusive culture through our Armed Forces Network to offer peer support, raise awareness and drive meaningful engagement across our business.
Heidelberg Materials has won Chapter One’s Above and Beyond Award 2024-25 in recognition of our incredible support for the literacy charity.
Chapter One provides online reading sessions and a free online library of stories to help children improve their literacy and gain a love of reading.
The award was part of the charity’s annual Partner, Volunteer and School Recognition Awards, which celebrate the dedication of the charity’s partners and volunteers and the schools it collaborates with to help children to read.
Alongside the commitment of our employees volunteering to take part on online reading sessions, the also charity highlighted our internal children’s story writing competition including the book launch at a school in Peterborough and the printing of 10,000 copies for children across the country. In addition, we were praised for our donation of £10,000 to buy 175 noise-cancelling headsets.
Social Value and Fair Coordinator Jops Hill collected the award from Chapter One CEO Emma Bell at a ceremony at the offices of London law firm CMS on 17 June.
Following this success, we’re looking for more volunteers to take part in one-to-one online reading sessions to help children to read.
We launched our Neurodiversity Community. This initiative complements our existing networks within the business and is a further our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace.
Our goal was to create a safe and welcoming space where neurodiverse individuals and allies can come together as a community. Our community is people-led, with the common goal of providing support.
