At a time when there is a decline in the number of women entering the construction sector, experts across the wide spectrum of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) will speak at Constructing Excellence North East’s (CENE) annual All In Conference.
Held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Newcastle, on March 26, the event will explore how to attract, train, retrain and celebrate talent and will examine the full employee lifecycle through the lens of EDI.
Sponsored by North East Combined Authority, Bradley O’Mahoney, RE:GEN Group, RED Engineering and Workprove, the conference will be led by Rebecca Storey, regional construction skills director at North East Construction Technical Excellence College and chair of the CENE People Group, one of four key theme groups which sit within Constructing Excellence North East.
The list of speakers include:
Laura Norton, IET and WISE; Eloise Leonard Cross, Northumbrian Water Group; Ngozi Lyn Cole, North East Anti Racism; Luke Joseph, Durham Council, Chris Pickering, Our 1 Community and Tom Lamb, RE:GEN Group.
There will also be a panel discussion led by Lucy Malarkey, director at Positive About Inclusion and member of CENE People Group
Lucy said: “The annual All In Conference is always a fantastic event, both inspirational and informative, shining a light on an issue that is crucial to our region and our sector: how we can truly embrace inclusion to attract, retain and celebrate the widest possible diversity of talent. It’s vital we keep this subject high on the agenda because while progress is being made, it isn’t linear, and we cannot afford to take our eye off the ball.
“Take, for example, the representation of women in construction. According to the Office for National Statistics, women accounted for around 15% of the UK construction workforce in 2024–2025, with only 1–2% of on‑site manual roles filled by women and the majority working in office‑based or professional positions. This marks a slight decline from the 15.8% recorded in 2023, reminding us that progress can stall or slip back and reinforcing why continued focus, dialogue and action are so important. Conferences like this play a key role in driving that momentum.
“I’m delighted to be chairing this year’s panel discussion, bringing together speakers from a range of organisations to share insights and practical examples of how regional diversity and inclusion initiatives are being brought to life.”
Catriona Lingwood, chief executive, Constructing Excellence North East, said: The All in Conference this year hosts expert speakers committed to developing and promoting a more inclusive culture.
“We first and foremost would like to thank our sponsors and speakers for putting their support behind the conference.
“We want delegates to leave with clear actions and inspiration to create workplaces where diverse talent can grow, succeed and feel a sense of belonging.
“EDI is already a high priority for companies across the built environment as they look to attract and retain a more diverse range of talent, which is vital to sustaining long-term success and competitiveness.