18 C O N T E X T 1 7 3 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 as questions about sexual orientation and gender identity were first included in the 2021 census). Hays have conducted annual diversity surveys of professional bodies since 2019. In 2019 this revealed that 78 per cent of black workers in the construction industry claimed to have experienced restrictions in their career progression due to their race or other ‘protected’ factors, such as age or sexuality. In 2021 just 16 per cent of professionals believed their organisation’s workforce demographic was a fair reflection of today’s society, and less than half (46 per cent) of professionals believed there were sufficient efforts across their organisation to recruit diverse talent. The Equality and Human Rights Commission reported in 2011 that increased diversity of workforce in the construction industry would bring: • Efficiency savings through improved staff retention. • A wider pool of talent available to the industry from under-represented groups. • A more diverse supply chain, with better support for small business. • Improved on-site working relationships based on respect for everyone’s differences. Many of us have accepted for a number of years that the heritage sector is not reflective of the diversity of the communities it serves.Within the recent past Historic England has published a Strategy for Inclusion, Diversity and Equality to promote diversity through its own work and support the rest of the sector to do the same.The core principle is that ‘Heritage is for everyone. The work we do ensures that a diverse range of people are able to connect with, enjoy and benefit from the historic environment.’ This builds on excellent practice demonstrated by large bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Trust over a number of years. This is demonstrated by the mandatory inclusion outcome of the Heritage Fund that more people will become involved in heritage through their investment, and the statement from the NationalTrust that ‘The National Trust is for everyone. Our organisation was founded so everyone can benefit from nature, beauty and history.’ One of the biggest initial challenges for equity, diversity and inclusion within the heritage sector is creating an evidence base. We have participation data for museums and heritage sites from the annual DCMS taking-part survey, which demonstrates that non-white people and those from more disadvantaged socio-economic groups are half as likely to visit a heritage site, or go to a museum or gallery. We do not have accurate data for who work and volunteer in the heritage sector and the IHBC. Without this The former Raleigh headquarters building in Nottingham is listed Grade II, partly due to its association with the struggle for black workers to be employed at Raleigh in the 1960s. (Photo: Historic England) What is now the Grade II* listed People’s Hall in Nottingham was built in 1750 for Ann Morley, a salt earthenware manufacturer. • Disabled employees also make up six per cent of the workforce (in 2011 16 per cent of working age adults lived with a limiting long-term illness, impairment or disability). • Sixty per cent of LGBTQ+ employees have experienced homophobic and derogatory terms at work (there are no accurate statistics for the proportion of the LGBT+ in the UK population
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