Construction Industry Breaks Ground By Measuring Progress on Safe and Respectful Workplaces
Vancouver, BC (April 9, 2019) – Construction employers who are serious about attracting and retaining skilled tradeswomen now have a way to measure their progress through the Builders Code Scorecard, launched yesterday by Minerva BC at the BC Construction Association Leadership Dinner.
Minister Mark and Minister Ralston were both in attendance at the dinner, which recognized the accomplishments of six key leaders in BC’s construction sector. Minister Ralston spoke about the contribution of BC’s construction workers to the economy and highlighted the need for skilled workers. Minister Mark emphasized the need to “move the dial” for women and Indigenous people in the skilled trades.
BC’s construction sector employs more than 180,000 trades workers but only 4.7% of those skilled workers are women. With a shortage of 7,900 construction jobs predicted by 2028, the need to attract and retain workers is critical. The Builders Code Scorecard will help BC construction employers measure their policies and practices against recognized best practices for creating a respectful and inclusive workplace. It will also measure progress towards the goal of achieving 10% of women in BC’s construction workforce over the next 10 years.
“The Builders Code Scorecard builds on Minerva’s experience measuring and reporting on women’s representation in BC’s corporate and tech sector” explains Tina Strehlke, CEO, Minerva BC. “The idea is to engage individual employers, but benchmark the industry as a whole so that we can see where progress is happening in the sector.”
The Builders Code Scorecard seeks to measure 25 employers in the first year. Participation is voluntary, and every employer will receive a report on their current status and recommendations from Minerva BC on immediate actions that they can take to improve outcomes. Recommendations will include taking advantage of the Builders Code program, which includes signing on to the Acceptable Worksite Pledge, working with Builders Code Advisors, and participating in training.
“As the Builders Code was being developed, it became very clear that most construction employers want to improve the culture on their worksites” said Chris Atchison, President, BCCA. “The Scorecard helps employers measure their progress, and learn what is working in other companies to improve safety and productivity on B.C. worksites.”
