SYSTRA is leading the way in championing equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) in the engineering and transport sectors.
We are proactively working to build diverse and inclusive workplaces that respect, value and optimise the contribution of all our employees.
By creating and celebrating a diverse workforce that reflects our communities, we enhance our capabilities and our capacity for innovation and optimum performance. We are taking positive steps every day to promote equality, build diversity and embrace inclusion for under-represented groups within our business and the wider engineering and transport sector.
We want everyone to feel welcomed, valued and supported in our workplaces, regardless of gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic background. To support and encourage diversity and inclusion at SYSTRA, we have invested in wide-reaching initiatives that target everything from improving our gender balance to providing training in cultural and LGBTQI+ awareness.
We carry out regular employee surveys to assess how we’re doing and to inform our policies and practices, so that we constantly address and improve our equality and diversity performance. We’re also working with specialist external partners and our ED&I colleague engagement group to ensure we adopt best practices throughout SYSTRA.
How does SYSTRA promote equal opportunities?
Here are a selection of the ways we promote and encourage greater equality, diversity and inclusion in every aspect of our business:
WISE – Women In Science and Engineering
We have partnered with the WISE campaign to promote Women in Construction and Women in Rail – helping to achieve a better gender balance across our business. We have signed up to the industry-led Ten Steps, and support the WISE ‘Big Rail Diversity Challenge’ and mentoring scheme.
Equality in recruitment
We have amended our graduate recruitment process to improve the consistency of our selection methods. Changes include the introduction of an online interview platform, and training for interviewers that focuses on fair and effective interview techniques.
Family-friendly policies
We have updated our maternity and paternity leave arrangements to provide consistently higher levels of leave entitlement. It’s one of the ways we are creating a family-friendly working environment at SYSTRA.
ED&I colleague engagement
To ensure all of our colleagues have a voice and an opportunity to share their experiences, we have established an ED&I colleague engagement group. It enables everyone to provide feedback on all aspects of equality, diversity and inclusion at work.
Women@SYSTRA
Our Women@SYSTRA internal network provides women with a host of opportunities, including leadership workshops, networking groups, articles and discussions on issues affecting women such as the menopause and impostor syndrome.
our ED&I strategic pillars
To create a structure and focus for our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, our ED&I colleague engagement group has developed five strategic pillars: