Costain is an inclusive and family friendly employer: we’re committed to tackling systemic barriers so we can create a psychologically safe workplace, where everyone has equal opportunities to reach their full potential.
We know that by being more diverse we will be more innovative, have a greater understanding of our clients’ needs and deliver smarter, more inclusive solutions.
Our goal is to have a workforce that’s representative of society and our Inclusion Strategy sets out the actions we’ll take to achieve that.
At Costain, we currently have six inclusion networks:
- Disability and Wellbeing Network
- LGBT+ & Allies Network
- Parenting and Carers Network
- Religion, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage Network
- Services and Service Families Network
- Women’s Network
All employees are encouraged to join any of the inclusion networks as members of the represented group or as active allies. Our members and allies have an essential role to play in ensuring an inclusive and intersectional culture.
We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce and work with the Diversity Jobs Group, as well as a number of other organisations, dedicated to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in hiring practices.
Our Women's Network celebrates, supports and connects women
We’ve been named in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women from 2018 to 2021 and for Gender Equality 2024, in recognition of the progress we have made to address gender equality in the workplace.
We’re signatories to Women in Rail’s EDI Charter, the Inspiring Women in Construction Pledge and the Menopause Workplace Pledge. In 2022 we launched our Menopause Plan, to provide our employees with access to a dedicated menopause GP and ongoing support.
Our REACH (Religion, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) Network
As part of Costain's commitment to the Business in the Community 2020 Race at Work Charter, Costain published its gender and ethnicity pay gap. We were also one of the first fifty signatories to the Change the Race Ratio.
Our pledge commits us to creating an inclusive culture in which talent from all diversities can thrive. This includes increasing racial and ethnic diversity among board members and senior leaders.
Our LGBT+ and Allies Network supports colleagues who identify as LGBT+
Costain is a Stonewall Diversity Champion and takes part in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index (WEI).
In 2022 we were awarded Silver Employer status.
Our Disability and Wellbeing Network
The Network aims to create an inclusive workplace, free from the barriers which can be experienced by people with a disability, health condition, or who are neurodivergent, whilst also raising awareness.
Costain is recognised as a Disability Confident Leader and is taking important steps to drive progressive, inclusive change. We are a signatory to The Valuable 500 and member of the Business Disability Forum.
Our Parenting and Carers Network offers support to anyone facing the challenges
We promote dynamic working for our people, recognising the support this gives to parents and carers, as well as empowering employees to manage their wellbeing.
Our family leave procedures and policies are inclusive and apply to all partnerships. We offer enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave. Costain is a member of Working Families and is regularly assessed against their Top Employers Benchmark.
The Services and Service Families’ Network creates a community
Costain is a supportive employer of reservists, veterans, service leavers and their families. We’re signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, showing our commitment to supporting the employment of service spouses and partners, and we have recently achieved a Gold Award with the Employer Recognition Scheme.
Key Facts
- 50:50 gender ratio on our Executive Board
- 52% of our graduate cohort are women
- 21% of our 2023 graduate cohort came from an ethnic minority background
- 13% of our 2023 apprentice cohort are women
- 33% of our apprentice cohort come from an ethnic minority background