Leading Irish building and civil engineering company PJ Hegarty has been honoured for its significant efforts to embed diversity and inclusion (D&I) principles, as well as a range of other D&I measures.

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.”