Paragon’s senior fee-earning women have successfully completed the first phase of a leadership training pathway, as part of the independent building and project consultancy’s ongoing commitment to improving gender diversity in the property sector.
Associate directors Charlie Knox, Emily Bradshaw, Helen Jones and Victoria Moss, senior building surveyor Katie Smith, project manager Trudy Revell and placement student Victoria Elliott took part in the consultancy’s latest leadership initiative.
The programme included a strengths building workshop led by training provider Consulting Women, which helped participants identify and enhance their strengths and apply leadership development tools in the workplace.
Participants also presented to Paragon’s board of directors on their experience as women in the property sector and gave recommendations on how to enable awareness, action and change on gender diversity. Their recommendations will now be implemented through equality, diversity and inclusivity objectives in Paragon’s business strategy.
Paragon’s HR director, Laura Harty, said: “Paragon is once again showing itself to be a forward-thinking business by tackling head-on one of the most important issues in our industry. This leadership training is a key part of our strategy to build our women’s profile in the business, break down any unconscious biases and ultimately facilitate their progression in the company and the sector as a whole.
“Studies prove time and time again that gender diversity makes businesses more profitable and effective. Paragon has ambitious growth plans following our recent merger, and our senior fee-earning women will continue to give us a competitive advantage and enable our further growth.”
According to a 2017 report by business consultancy McKinsey & Company, companies with a higher proportion of women in senior roles were 15 per cent more likely to experience above-average profitability and 27 per cent more likely to see long-term value creation.
Founder of Consulting Women, Gill Avery, added: “People succeed where they feel confident, and Paragon’s female leaders have already made great strides on this journey.”
In May 2018, Paragon merged with Bond Davidson to create a £22m turnover building and project consultancy employing almost 200 people with offices in London, Esher, Manchester and Edinburgh. The merged business is currently advising on projects with a total construction value of £5bn and is one of the UK’s largest independent building and project consultants.