Brand new Diversity and Inclusion Team kicks off

The team was recently set up and is currently exploring opportunities and ways to best achieve our diversity goals. Setting up this team is particularly topical now that Rijkswaterstaat and the Dutch Construction and Infrastructure Federation are investigating whether diversity should become a criterion in tenders.

 

Diversity at Ballast Nedam

Ballast Nedam considers diversity and inclusion essential to success in the various teams and as a company as a whole. After all, diverse teams lead to better decision-making and results, and a pleasant, harmonious working culture for the performance of complex tasks. Moreover, the new Diversity Act is an incentive for companies to set more ambitious goals.

One of these goals is to increase the percentage of women in the company. This year, we want 20% of all colleagues to be female. This target is reflected in the policy for hiring new colleagues. Last year, this percentage was still 14.5%. We are also working towards having more women in management positions. By 2025, we want 20% of these positions to be held by a woman, and by 2030, this should rise to at least 25%.

A social challenge

"Diversity is not just about male/female ratios", emphasises Mireille de Goey. As Manager Midsize Infra at Ballast Nedam Infra Projects, she is one of the members of Team Diversity and Inclusion. "We also focus on, for example, different nationalities, orientations, beliefs or disabilities. By using the right mix of qualities in our teams, we achieve the best results together."

In the early stages of this team's development, we are taking stock and investigating opportunities that can take this theme to the next level. Rönesans has worked hard on diversity and inclusion for several years, resulting in a diverse organisation with women on the board.

We are investigating the extent to which Rönesans' experience can be used at Ballast Nedam. A first step was taken during a visit by Havva Ergun, member of the Executive Board of Rönesans Holding with responsibility for Safety and CSR and a great ambassador for diversity within organisations. During her working visit to Ballast Nedam, there was an extensive exchange of knowledge about this theme.

Feeling safe and understood

Mireille says: "Ballast Nedam has 23 nationalities, so that's a good basis. In addition to building a diverse organisation and teams, it's about feeling safe and seen in the organisation you work in. We want to improve this together. It's not about having to, but about wanting to. We really do this as a team, so that our organisation will become even more diverse and inclusive."