Championing Inclusive Leadership in the Built Environment

Overview

This session captures key insights from the International Women’s Day 2026 event, where leaders from across the built environment came together to explore the realities of gender equity and the role of inclusive leadership in shaping the future of the sector.

Hosted by BE Inclusive, a collaboration of professional bodies including RICS, CIOB, LI, CICES, RTPI, RIBA, ICE, CIHT and CIAT, the event created space for honest reflection, shared experiences, and practical action.

Through a combination of speaker insights, panel discussion, and audience engagement, the session explored how representation, leadership, and systemic change intersect and what this means for professionals working across the industry today.

This on-demand version allows you to engage with the key themes and consider how they apply within your own role and organisation.

What you will learn

By working through this session, you will be able to:

• Reflect on why representation in leadership matters and how it shapes organisational culture.
• Understand the historical and ongoing contributions of women in the built environment.
• Identify systemic barriers that continue to affect gender equity across the sector.
• Explore different perspectives from industry leaders on inclusive leadership.
• Consider practical actions you can take to support equity and inclusion in your own context.
   

Reflect and apply

As you complete this session, take a moment to reflect:

• What stood out to you from the speakers and discussions?
• Where do you see similar challenges within your own organisation or sector?
• What is one action you can realistically take to support more inclusive leadership?
   

You may wish to note down your reflections or share them with colleagues to continue the conversation.

Taking this forward

Learning from this session is most valuable when it leads to action.

Consider how you might:

• Apply one insight from this session in your day-to-day work
• Start or contribute to conversations about inclusion within your team
• Support initiatives that promote equity within your organisation or professional network

Contributors

Elizabeth Adigun – Founder, HER Estate

Ruth Lin Wong Holmes, Vice President of the Landscape Institute

Amaya Sophia Ahmed, Co-Founder of HER Estate

Faye Allen FRICS, Chartered Quantity Surveyor and author of Building Women: How everyone in construction can win

Dr Victoria Hills , MRTPI, FICE, FRSA, MCMI - CEO of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

Alexandra Pearsal - Fellow and President of the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES)

Sue Percy, CBE - CEO of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT)

Sumita Singha, OBE - Trustee of Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

Lorraine Williamson - Fellow and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Governing Council

Ann Vanner - Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)

Faye Allen - Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Partners