On International Women's Day, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) announces the launch of a 'Global Cement and Concrete Industry Women's Network'.
 
The sector initiative, launched by GCCA Cement Director, Claude Lorea, aims to establish a network of women leaders and experts in the cement and concrete industry and its suppliers, to promote gender diversity.
 
The network, which started informally at the beginning of the week, has already attracted more than 140 women to register.
 
Claude Lorea said: "The sector is well aware that there is a lot more to do to attract women to our industry.
 
"As a matter of principle improving gender diversity and equity is important, as well as ensuring that girls at school are attracted to the range of professions and careers we can offer. Importantly also, more and more studies show that companies with diversity at senior levels perform better generally and across all three sustainability pillars - economic, environmental, and social."
 
The group is a place for women working in the cement and concrete industry to share content, thoughts and ideas amongst peers, with the shared mission of promoting concrete as the sustainable building material of choice. It aims to establish a network of women leaders and experts in the cement and concrete sector and its suppliers in order to ensure gender diversity, for example in conference panels, by providing a ready network of talent and experience, and to create a culture of diversity across the industry.
 
Claude Lorea added: "The GCCA is committed to a sustainable future for the sector and I see driving diversity as an important part of that process. I’m really looking forward to working with the network in the months and weeks ahead, and genuinely excited to see what we can do over the next year to promote diversity."
 
Details of the group can be found on the LinkedIn website.