Mick Power AM, Group Board Chairman, BMD Group

The world and our workplace is a very different place to what it was 43 years ago when my wife, Denise and I started this business. Both men and women are forging careers and in many cases juggling being working parents and it is different. At BMD, we embrace equity. We believe in the power of diversity, inclusion and equity because ultimately it is diverse perspectives and thoughts that will contribute to high performing teams and industry leading outcomes. While we have come a long way, there is more work to be done and I know we have a lot of allies in our business who are committed to making more progress.

Scott Power, Chief Executive Officer, BMD Group

For me, embracing equity means equal opportunities. A fundamental challenge our industry and our business faces is that the cohort of women studying engineering is 13% and trades are far less. It’s not reflective of our society and our communities. I’m very proud to be leading the business my father started and by the time Mick’s grandchildren are choosing their career paths I hope this number is more reflective of society so that my daughter knows she has every opportunity to work in this industry or someday be in my position. As our business continues to grow to take on the significant pipeline of work ahead, it’s an exciting time to continue to promote the tremendous opportunities for people from all different paths to build a career in construction. We need talented people across all business elements from human resources to HSEQ leads, to lawyers, communications and writing professionals and so much more. As leaders in an industry that craves the benefits of diverse perspectives and backgrounds, it is fundamental that we demonstrate our equitable commitments and behaviours, and hold our leaders and teams accountable to do the same.

Dare Power, Group Executive Director – People and Process, BMD Group

Providing pathways to career growth, helping expand the representation of women in our industry and empowering male allies to change every day behaviours, are core commitments of our business. To me, embracing equity is about acknowledging differences so that we can ensure our workplace is equitable and inclusive through identifying the barriers that exist, improving systems and processes and updating our programs and policies to make a true difference for now and for our future generations.

Craig Mortensen, Group Executive Director – Chief Financial Officer, BMD Group

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the women in our lives. It’s a time to consider the progress we have made as a society and industry and acknowledge there is more to be done. I’m extremely proud that we have lots of women across professional areas of our business in finance, payroll, procurement, treasury, communications, proposals, human resources, executive support and so much more. At BMD, our business is our people and embracing equity is about the everyday actions we take to ensure we foster an inclusive culture for women in our business – supporting each individual and providing pathways that support women in our business to achieve their professional goals. I look to encourage more women in leadership roles, and believe that bringing diverse perspectives and backgrounds leads to better business outcomes. I am committed to ensuring people in our business are creating a safe environment to voice their thoughts and express their views.

Paul Fogarty, Group Executive Director – Construction, BMD Group

By recognising the differences our people bring to the business, we open up significant opportunities for continued growth. This International Women’s Day, I embrace equity and commit to building a better future for oncoming generations by being an ally, a mentor and a voice to ensure every person in our business feels they are being heard. Making equity part of our everyday is necessary and it is vital for us as leaders to not only demonstrate this every day, but to hold our teams accountable in embracing equity.

Jeff Gallus, Executive General Manager, BMD Constructions

Embrace equity is about equal opportunity for all. Traditionally our industry has lacked diversity of thought and at times, suffered from “group think”. It is because of this that I know we have so much to learn from by inviting diversity into our meeting rooms. To me, it’s about creating an environment where we provide opportunities that allow people to be the best version of themselves and build the career that they desire. As a member of the Women@BMD group, I am committed to gaining an understanding of the challenges our women face so that I can help influence and provide an environment that encourages and supports women to overcome the challenges that are unique to them.

Simone Gooding – General Manager Finance and Audit, BMD Group

International Women’s Day is an acknowledgement of the significant contribution that women make in the workplace and society generally. It is a day to celebrate our achievements, but it is also a timely reminder of the inequities that still need to be addressed to allow women to thrive. Often being the only senior woman in many meetings, I have learnt that diversity of thoughts and perspectives can be invaluable for successful business decisions. In my team, I ensure we embrace equity through active listening of the diverse thoughts and perspectives of every member of the team because this is how we achieve the best outcomes. We are cognisant that equity is not the same as equality and as such we proactively ensure that each individual has the opportunity to thrive and advance in their roles by ensuring the appropriate time, training and resources is made available and tailored to each individual. I am a passionate member of the Women@BMD working group, and I am committed to working proactively with other male and female colleagues within the BMD family to continue creating meaningful change within our business.

David Moody, National General Manager, BMD Urban

In order to achieve equity, it is essential to acknowledge that each person faces unique circumstances and varying levels of access to opportunities. On this International Women’s Day, I am dedicated to promoting equity in all its facets. I will empower my teams to highlight the many enriching opportunities available in STEM and encourage more girls to consider pursuing careers in the construction industry, which has historically been male dominated.

Katie Murphy – Corporate Communications Manager, BMD Group

For me, embracing equity is all about understanding that it’s important to encourage everyone to feel safe to contribute. To create workplaces and spaces that inspire women to know that their voice is heard and that someone is there to genuinely listen. It’s about challenging the traditional thought processes and looking at ways that I can make real and meaningful change. I am particularly passionate about storytelling – the good, the bad and in some cases, the ugly. It’s important for people to understand they can be successful in construction; they can become leaders and they will be supported through all stages – and they will know it’s possible by seeing the role models that exist in our business. It’s important to be honest and transparent about the experiences that you’ve had so that others feel comfortable to share their stories. At BMD, I see this providing more opportunities for deeper understanding and learnings – particularly for the work I do as a founding member of the Women@BMD group. It will enable us to create stronger connections for those in our BMD family. It will also ensure that the initiatives we are undertaking are helping to change or enhance those experiences, ultimately creating a more inclusive place to work.

Rob Pickard, General Manager – QLD & NT, BMD Constructions

I am truly impressed by the women in our business, and we need to celebrate their contribution to our success. Embracing equity isn’t just about International Women’s Day, and to only acknowledge the efforts of the women at BMD on account of “a day in the calendar” would be inappropriate. Doing so would simply impose an unrealistic limit to the immense value they bring to all aspects of our business, and dilute recognition that is entirely deserved. Of equal importance are the behaviours we display each day, and the action we take to ensure we are providing an inclusive workplace and empowering female leaders. For the males in our business, this is best evidenced by being an ally for women, as this is undeniably the quickest path to generating meaningful change. The days of “boy’s clubs” are gone, and those that don’t see it are staring through the wrong lens. Unlocking the potential of our women needs to be a priority, and the best yard stick for measuring our authenticity is to keep driving equal opportunity. I am convinced that our team is the strongest we have ever been, and our diversity provides the perfect platform for the adoption of a broader cross section of opinions and perspectives. Ultimately leading to better decision making and ongoing success in the years ahead. To the women of BMD… Thank you for your hard work and loyalty. Your efforts do not go unnoticed, and recognition of your contribution is offered with sincerity.

Veronica Simeoni – Group Proposals Manager, BMD Group

I am very fortunate to work with many highly dedicated and determined women who contribute greatly to the success of our business. I embrace equity within my team by ensuring that every person knows the value they bring. The second way I embrace equity is to always advocate for the team to ensure they are recognised, and their contributions are visible. By supporting people to build confidence in who they are and what they do and ensuring their value is understood and ‘seen’ by those around them will hopefully pave a pathway to a voice at the table in each of their local teams. By creating an environment where women will thrive, we create workplaces where women will stay and build their careers at BMD. Where the growth of the business will only create more and more opportunities for them to take up leadership positions. I’ve made it a personal commitment to call out bias behaviours when I see them, as I believe it’s the small comments that enable poor behaviours that in turn work against the growth mindset and culture of BMD. These are the pebbles that eventually become the rock for many women that means they move on.

Gerard Keynes, General Manager – Northern Region, BMD Constructions

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognise the amazing contribution that our women make to the success of our teams and our business. It’s a time to ensure we continue the conversation about making sure the construction industry is an inviting career choice for our current and future women. To me, embracing equity is about what I can do in my influence to recruit new women into our business at all levels and across all roles, and ensure that our teams are resourced diversely as this is how we consistently achieve the best outcomes from our teams. I am committed to calling out circumstances where inflexibility inhibits the opportunities for our women to develop their careers in construction. At BMD, we are focused on increasing participation in engineering and functional roles, and need to continue the recruitment and career development focus in not only these areas but also the professional areas. Field supervision roles remains an area of major under-representation for women in the construction industry and this is an area where I know what we would see significant benefits from greater diversity.

Chris Tuttiett, General Counsel, BMD Group

To me, International Women’s Day means recognising and celebrating the contributions of women from all walks of life, including those who have paved the way for future generations and those who are currently breaking barriers and shattering stereotypes. It is a day to acknowledge the struggles that women have faced throughout history and continue to face today, including discrimination, inequality, and violence. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made towards gender equality and to renew our commitment to creating a world where all women and girls can thrive and reach their full potential. International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder that the fight for gender equality is ongoing, and that we all have a role to play in creating a more just and equitable world for women and girls everywhere. In the business and within the teams I manage and work, we embrace equity by creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and valued, educating ourselves on the importance of addressing bias and ensuring equal opportunity, offering flexibility to accommodate diverse needs and responsibilities and being open and willing to make changes. I am committed to creating an environment where women in my teams and our business can thrive. I am championing changes to ensure we achieve our goal of increasing the number of women in our business in leadership positions. I recognise the importance of gender diversity in achieving business goals and am dedicated to challenging the status quo in our industry.

Dannii Lawrence, Chief Estimator – Northern Region, BMD Constructions

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the positive impact that diversity provides. It’s a time to celebrate the successes of women, and to acknowledge the challenges that still exist. It’s a time to pause and reflect on what type of world we want to live in, and what type of world we want to create for our daughters, sisters and wives. To me, embracing equity means thinking about individuals and understanding what they need to excel. No two people are the same. I take the time to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each person on my team, and I work with them to ensure they are given the tools they need to succeed. As a founding member of the Women@BMD working group, I have a genuine desire to watch our women grow and excel at BMD. I want them to have a voice, to feel supported and to be supportive. Most of all I want my daughter to grow up in a world where equality and equity are not issues to be solved. Supporting our incredible team of women at BMD is my one small way of contributing to that world. We should be aiming to improve and progress – always! My favourite quote: “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” – George Bernard Shaw. As a matter of urgency we need to create a cultural of inclusivity if we want to attract the right people to our industry. There is no place in modern society for “old-school” behaviours and language and I am committed to respectfully calling people out on it.

Tim McMahon – General Manager – Strategic Development, BMD Urban

International Women’s Day brings our focus to the unique role that women have in our society in general, in each of our families and our business. We specifically recognise the significant contribution women have made and continue to make to BMD and identify ways in which we can create opportunity and an environment that supports and encourages women to develop their career here with us. My commitment to embracing equity is by affording everyone the respect to which they are entitled. It’s about ensuring opportunities are available and offered to women who have the potential and aspiration to challenge themselves in a more senior role. I’m committed to action that will increase the number of women in our business and in leadership roles in the belief that the increased participation of women enhances decision making and promotes an equitable and respectful work environment – attracting and retaining the best people for the future of BMD.

Asten Pickard, Financial Controller, BMD Urban

For me, International Women’s Day is a time to highlight the fantastic achievements of women in our business and lives. To embrace equity is to come to work each day and have a safe space where I’m not judged if I’m quiet or out of character. It’s about having people around me that know what it takes to be a mum, a working mum, a working dad – it’s about acceptance. It’s the nudge on the shoulder to check in if I am not myself because we truly are a family and know each other so well. As a working parent, we know this comes with responsibilities and at times, I may not be present due to an illness or a dance performance, or I just might have to be there for my kids for a day, but by being part of a team and a business that supports me and embraces me for my worth is exactly what equity is all about. We all work together, we are a family and we should treat each other the same regardless of our differences. The world continues to evolve, and we are all part of it and need to be committed to making changes for our children and our future generations.

Colin Mitchell, General Manager – Strategy, BMD Group

International Women’s Day provides a specific time each year to celebrate the wonderful achievements of all the women in our lives. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the challenges still faced today and how we all can inspire society to continue to improve to make real difference for future generations. To me, embracing equity is about recognising the specific barriers faced by individuals and communities and offering solutions that enable all to thrive and achieve the same goals. I am committed to promoting the capability and achievements of the incredible women in our BMD family. I believe storytelling to be a significant step in inspiring more women to join our business and our industry, and encouraging young women to know the benefits and career paths in our industry through studying STEM. It’s really important we raise the profiles of the women in our business who are achieving great things and work hard to foster their career progression because ultimately you can’t be what you can’t see.

Peter Sherrie, General Manager, Urbex

International Women’s Day is a reinforcement of the fact that we need to be blind to gender when recruiting in our workplace to ensure we achieve a level playing field both for career progression, workplace safety and remuneration. To me, I embrace equity by ensuring everyone is treated with the same respect and valued for what they bring to the business – irrespective of their position in the organisation. It’s about embracing an inclusive and safe workplace and ensuring everyone enjoys what they do. I am committed to giving every opportunity to our team through training, mentoring and providing opportunities to ensure they thrive irrespective of gender.

Craig Covacich, General Manager, Urbex Realty

International Women’s Day is about celebrating women’s achievements and raising awareness about gender discrimination, the protection from it and the drive to ensure gender equity. I have always assessed a person’s attributes and skillsets both professionally and culturally when inviting them to join our team. Gender does not influence the treatment of the individual and I am committed to ensuring an inclusive, fair and equitable environment is on offer where one can thrive within their career. I commit to embracing equity through setting clear career pathways and opportunities for promotions to ensure we are building a better future in our industry. I believe in offering an unbiassed, inclusive and fair culture for all to thrive in. I also think it is important to celebrate and reward ourselves when we are achieving great things because a diverse team brings diversity of thought and skill and that is certainly our team.

Nigel Scott, National Fleet Manager, BMD Group

To me, International Women’s Day highlights a time to focus on gender equality to make sure everyone is given a fair go. I believe embracing equity is about inclusivity. It’s about acknowledging each other’s differences whether that be background or experience or skill level. It is what makes us individuals and knowing we are a stronger team as a result.

Patrick Pearl, General Manager – Systems, BMD Group

What I like about International Women’s Day is that it sets an important opportunity for us to reflect and acknowledge the contribution that all women provide, whether that be on our project sites or in our offices. I embrace equity by ensuring there is fundamentally respect within our teams. It’s about ensuring all people are treated equally while acknowledging we are all different. I want people to know there is a safe environment so that every voice knows they are important and heard. I commit to ensuring we support women in all initiatives, focus on guidance and equal opportunity as they appear to ensure women can thrive in our business and in our industry.

Jodie Trousdell, Learning and Development Specialist, BMD Group

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to pause and reflect. We’ve come a long way in our industry but there is more we can do to continue to build an empowered and diverse culture. I believe our people are the solution to any challenge we come across in this business. As a leader, I think it’s important to embrace equity by ensuring everyone in the team is heard, supported, given opportunities to shine and celebrated for their success. My commitment is to continue to work on industry leading development programs and processes that support a culture that embraces diversity in leadership. I will continue to challenge myself and our leadership teams to think differently about how we can do better and build an inclusive and empowered culture at BMD.