I am applauding and spreading the word about the Association of General Contractors of America’s (AGC) new “Culture of CARE” program. It is designed to help in the expansion of diversity in the industry to make job sites more inclusive. CARE stands for commit, attract, retain and empower. The goal is to create more welcoming workplaces for staff with diverse demographic backgrounds.
Construction firms are invited to sign a pledge to do so and then the AGC will supply them with training on how to do it. This will include human resources practices and policies, educational materials, toolbox talks, job site posters and hard hat stickers.
Rita Brown, the chair of AGC’s Diversity and Inclusion Council says, “Culture of CARE has the potential to support a broad expansion of the diversity of the construction industry. We want to provide the tools firms need to recruit, retain and support people of all backgrounds.”
The association’s CEO, Stephen E. Sandherr says, “We are asking companies to take bold and visible steps toward creating a more diverse, safe, welcoming and inclusive construction industry. This new program will help firms attract the kind of diverse staff that research shows help construction firms become more innovative, safe, effective and profitable.”
The Culture of CARE program was introduced in March at AGC’s annual convention in Las Vegas, NV. It is based on a program that was first developed by the AGC of Washington chapter in the Pacific Northwest. The national association’s Diversity and Inclusion Council took a close look and decided that it would be a powerful tool on the national level.
In addition to the new program, the association has already released its Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion in the Construction Industry, which provides the economic, safety and productivity rationale for expanding construction diversity.
For more information on the Culture of CARE program, please visit http://www.buildculture.org.