International Women's Day: Emma Nicholson

What is your position at Pick Everard and what does it entail?

As a Principal Sustainability Project Manager, based at our Leeds office, I lead on developing strategies for our clients to achieve their net zero or carbon neutral agenda. Working within our multi-disciplinary practice, I work across both management and design services to pull together delivery of complex projects.

Internally, I am also developing marketing material for Pick Everard on our net zero and sustainability services, alongside other members in the Sustainability and Energy team.

How did you get into sustainability as a career?

My initial interest in sustainability began midway through my career, piqued by my voluntary membership of the Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) London Branch Sustainability Strategy Group in 2010. I became Chair of the steering group for three years, also becoming a Chartered Environmentalist in 2010. I’ve also sat on the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment’s (IEMA) strategic advisory council and was previously Regional Chair for IEMA’s Yorkshire and Humber steering group, which involved organisation of environmental CPD events.

I was put forward for a seconded sustainability role as a Venues Sustainability Manager for the London Olympic & Paralympic Games in 2012. Here, I established the environmental procedures of the games for third party auditing. In the same year, I was nominated as a Rising Sustainability Star by IEMA and the Society for the Environment. Currently outside of work, I am Chair of the United Nations Association – UK’s (UNA) Harrogate Branch and organise events on topics related to the UNA’s 17 sustainable development goals with members.

Have you faced any challenges reaching your current position?

It was particularly challenging when I started my career as an Assistant Project Manager back in 1998. Further to degree studies in English Literature, I had previously worked in other industry roles before joining the construction industry, which was a completely new challenge. I had to learn a lot of new skills fast to develop my career. It was slightly daunting at first, working with people more knowledgeable than me, sometimes being the only female on site, and chairing meetings with only men present. I gradually built my confidence, skills, and leadership through educational studies, joining the Association of Project Management Institute (APM) and the CIOB. I studied part-time for a MSc in Construction Project Management, sponsored by a previous employer, and then climbed the ladder to fellowship level with the institutes of APM, CIOB and IEMA, further developing my leadership skills through voluntary chair roles for institute committees.

On my master’s degree, there weren’t many females on the course, and being introduced to modules such as construction law was like learning a new language. It required hard work to achieve a degree whilst working five days a week, however I managed to do it.

Why Is International Women’s Day important to you?

For many years I have been involved in International Women’s Day in one form or other, whether it’s hosting an event, writing a blog for an industry magazine, speaking at an IWD event, or listening to a webinar celebrating its importance.

This year I’ve written an IWD blog for The Institute of Directors and I’m participating in a Women in Construction panel event.

I believe it’s important to celebrate our achievements, as generally speaking, women in the construction industry and boardrooms are still a minority and an underrepresented group. There is continual work to do to attract women of all ages into our industry, and part of this is allowing a platform to speak about EDI issues, as well as celebrate social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. IWD allows individuals to share knowledge on a global scale, whilst also providing a great opportunity to network.

The theme this year is ‘Embrace Equity’ – what does this mean to you and how can we all be a part of forging women’s equality?

Each and every one of us has a voice and role to play in promoting equal opportunity and inclusion in the workplace, within our own sphere of influence. The contribution and importance of men, as allies in the advancement of women in the workplace, is also important for gender equality. I try to ensure this is understood within my voluntary EDI work with the Institute of Directors, the CIOB and The Women’s Engineering Society. Equity means creating an inclusive world, which I actively support through these organisations.

The gender pay gap, under representation of women in senior positions, as well as racially minoritised women and stereotyping, have been some of the challenging issues women have faced over the years, and there is still a long way to go. However, raising awareness about discrimination and taking collective action to drive gender parity will help attract more women into the construction industry, and develop more women in leadership roles.

What role do people in your industry have in working towards gender equality in the working world?

It’s essential to achieve equal opportunities in employment, positions of leadership and decision-making at all levels. For the last ten years, I’ve mentored women in the industry and thoroughly believe in this process as a way of delivering continuous improvement. There have been some extraordinary and innovative women that have previously paved the way over the last 100-150 years in education, engineering, the workplace, and specific sectors of work, where barriers have been broken down.

We can create a more inclusive place, empowering all women, whilst also attracting girls into the construction industry from a young age, helping prevent a skills gap. It is important to be an ambassador for STEM careers, which allows us to promote our sector and open new doorways for people entering our industry.

What is your best piece of advice for young women considering a career in the construction industry?

Anything is achievable if you are determined. If you incur a stumbling block, or something doesn’t work out successfully, it’s important to be resilient and find another way that does work, learn, and get stronger from the experience.

It’s also vital to network to raise your profile externally in the industry. One way for young women to develop their skills and knowledge is by joining an institute to develop their career or join a steering group to improve networking skills. Being part of a committee can teach important skills that might be useful for being present in the boardroom one day, whilst also bringing beneficial skills into the workplace.