Diversitas is new umbrella body for black professionals in the built environment

CIC has facilitated the development of Diversitas, a new umbrella body which was created under the direction of CIC’s Chair, Justin Sullivan with a goal to increase representation of black professionals within CIC networks and the built environment.

Chaired by Jessica Taylor (Partner, Ashfords LLP) supported by Vice Chair Gail Royston (Senior Cost Manager, CBRE) the first member organisations of Diversitas are: DiverseCity Surveyors, Association For Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK), Black Professionals in Construction (BPIC Network) and BAME Planners Network. It is hoped to add the Society of Black Architects in due course.

Diversitas will look to further increase their membership and raise their own profile to encourage a wider representation of black professionals within the built environment sector. CIC and Diversitas will work together and collaborate to further the objectives of Diversitas to better our industry.

Diversitas Chair, Jessica Taylor said: “I'm delighted to be able to launch Diversitas as a unique grouping made up of leading black construction professional organisations. Having worked as a lawyer in the construction industry for over 30 years I am very much looking forward to driving the work of Diversitas forward and seeing greater participation of talented black construction professionals in the work of the CIC and in the wider industry.”

CIC Immediate Past Chair Justin Sullivan said of the launch: “On becoming Deputy Chair of CIC, and then Chair of CIC it was clear to me that the diversity industry wide in construction is woeful, but it is even worse at leadership level.

“Construction workers and professionals, if they see black people in leadership positions, will be encouraged to push themselves to achieve those roles. It has taken two years, with lots of work by CIC members, volunteers and staff, in particular Jessica Taylor, to set this umbrella body up, and we already have our first black professionals in leadership positions in CIC with Bola Abisogun as chair of CIC EDI, and Jessica Taylor as chair of Diversitas.

“This is an amazing achievement by CIC, and my legacy as Chair of CIC as I step down to immediate past chair of CIC. Onwards and upwards.”