Breaking boundaries – tackling gender misconceptions in women’s sport and the built environment
We hosted a roundtable with our partner, Premiership Women’s Rugby, to discuss tackling gender misconceptions in women’s sport and the built environment
On 21 October, our Construction business hosted a roundtable event with Premiership Women’s Rugby to celebrate our partnership. The event brought together leaders from both construction and rugby to challenge gender misconceptions and champion diversity and inclusion across the two sectors.
The discussion centred on representation, leadership, opportunity, and the role of collaboration in driving equity, visibility and innovation. The roundtable highlighted the need for continued partnership, investment and proactive growth to address the gender divide in traditionally male-dominated industries. There was a strong sense of optimism and commitment to making both construction and rugby more inclusive, visible, and equitable for women.
Roundtable attendees
- Dr Carol Massay, Unity for Construction (roundtable Chair)
- Genevieve Shore, Executive Chair at Premiership Women’s Rugby
- Steff Battle, Executive Managing Director, Wates Construction
- Emma Wassell, Rugby Union and Scottish international player
- Paula Chandler, former rugby player and National Design Director at Wates Construction
- Beth Smythe, HR Business Partner, Wates Construction
- Lynsey Hyslop, Senior Player Development Manager at the Rugby Players Association and advisor to the England Women’s Red Roses team
- Anna Kelly, Associate Director at MACE
- Michaela Wain, Managing Director, Design and Build UK
Areas of discussion
Parallels between rugby and construction
Both sectors are traditionally male-dominated, and attendees discussed the shared challenges women face regarding representation and opportunity. They drew strong parallels between the demands of high-performance sport and high-performance at work, where going the extra mile, striving for excellence and having the courage to call out when things aren’t good enough are important. The need for proactive, not just passive, change was a recurring theme.
Allyship and advocacy
True allyship means consistently embodying organisational values. Attendees stressed that talent-based assessments and fair hiring processes are vital for supporting women and encouraging men to become better allies, both in the workplace and on the field.
Role models and visibility
Visibility was highlighted as a key driver for attracting more women into construction and rugby. Seeing women in leadership and technical roles inspires the next generation, and positive role models are essential for change. Social media and public campaigns were recognised as powerful tools for breaking down barriers, showcasing achievements and challenging stereotypes in male-dominated sectors.
Overcoming barriers and building confidence
Speakers emphasised the importance of overcoming discouragement and limited opportunities in both sport and construction. Confidence, strong support networks and allyship were repeatedly identified as critical factors for success.
The importance of data, systems and culture
The use of data to understand and address gender imbalances was seen as essential. Flexible working and job design were also discussed as effective ways to attract and retain more women, enabling individuals to thrive.
Investment and cohesive messaging
There was unanimous agreement on the need for investment to support women in rugby and construction. Initiatives like Wates’ sponsorship of PWR were cited as crucial for challenging assumptions and growing audiences. Attendees also called for a sector-wide, collaborative approach to make construction a more welcoming environment for women.
Quotes from our speakers at the roundtable
It’s about being brave enough to say, ‘this isn’t good enough’. In rugby, so much has changed in just six years, but there are still pockets where people question why women play rugby.
“Our partnership with Wates is important because it’s built on integrity, belief and a platform for real impact. Every penny of this partnership is spent breaking open old assumptions and growing the audience for women’s rugby.”
Genevieve Shore
Executive Chair, Premiership Women’s Rugby
We’re starting to make real changes by implementing processes and systems that help balance the gender split, and by making talent-based assessments when deciding who we promote. We’re also working to change our hiring policies to support men in becoming better allies for women in the built environment sector.
“I’ve seen that women are often less likely to apply for promotions, making fair hiring processes essential to create an environment where everyone feels able to put themselves forward. The connection between sport and business is clear: both are rapidly growing, and both need to mirror equality.”
Steff Battle
Executive Managing Director, Wates Construction
For me, it all started with someone taking an interest and presenting the opportunity – that’s how I got involved in rugby. Having the chance to go into schools and speak to students is so important, because you never know who might be inspired.
“Rugby has truly shaped the person I am today, giving me strength, confidence, and the ability to push through challenges – all thanks to my teammates, the connections, and the people I’ve met along the way. Getting involved in the game has been invaluable, and I just wish that every girl who wants to play has the chance to do so.”
Emma Wassell
Rugby Union and Scottish International player
Anyone who has played rugby or a team sport knows it’s a feeling rather than something you can easily describe. I only started playing rugby in my early twenties because it wasn’t available to me at school, just as careers in the built environment weren’t an option and, in fact, I was actively discouraged from pursuing them. That only made me more determined to break through those barriers.
“There are so many parallels between the world of work and a high-performance sporting environment: training to win, going the extra mile, and supporting each other as a team.
“At Wates, innovation and inclusion are at the heart of how we show up as allies. My own journey, now sitting on the board in a technical role previously not held by women, is a testament to this. We’re putting our money where our mouth is: scaffolding female talent, launching initiatives to attract and retain women, nurturing opportunities to thrive, and rewarding everyone equally for a job well done.”
Paula Chandler
National Design Director, Wates Construction
Delivering competitive programmes is about more than just supporting players on the pitch – it’s about giving them the confidence and exposure to different careers, and supporting their aspirations outside of rugby. The needs of players are different, and a lot of our work is about helping them embrace the skills they’ve developed and think about what they want to do after their playing careers. It’s not just about what we do for a player, but about building a whole ecosystem of support.
“I’m a massive advocate for the opportunities in construction and rugby. For me, it’s about allowing someone to say, ‘that isn’t for me’, but also encouraging women to be more determined about what they do want to pursue and to decide what their strengths are. We haven’t yet given women the full freedom to make those choices, but that’s the goal.”
Lynsey Hyslop
Senior Player Development Manager, Rugby Players Association
What inspired me? An abundance of things. When I was on The Apprentice in 2017, many people reached out to thank me for representing women in construction. I became a kind of agony aunt for women in the industry, hearing from people across the country.
“There are endless conversations and statistics about women in construction, but for too long, there weren’t enough role models or positive stories. I realised you can’t get change without leading by example and showing the amazing work women are doing. That’s why I started using my magazine to interview women about their careers and support them. We launched in-person awards and saw hundreds of women nominated – finally, women could see others doing great things and believe in the vision and benefits.
“You wouldn’t have a household with only men, so why should our industry be any different? We need to show what’s possible and keep pushing for change.”
Michaela Wain
Managing Director, Design and Build UK
Working in construction, I’ve experienced first-hand the challenges of a male-dominated environment and the variety of roles it offers. Since Covid, we’ve seen more flexibility and better representation in areas like sustainability, but typical site roles are still limited in women’s representation. That’s why having different approaches and visible role models is so important. Advocacy and allyship, especially at a senior level, are crucial, but they must be backed by robust systems and processes. It’s about understanding the challenges and knowing how to support women at every level, so we can drive real, lasting change in the built environment.”
Anna Kelly
Associate Director at MACE
It’s so important to have a culture where you can share what you want to do, because you can’t be what you can’t see. There’s a real shortage of skills in the industry, and progress isn’t confined to the field or the building site – it’s about shared values and creating an environment where people feel they can do their best.
“Opening up options and designing jobs flexibly is still a challenge, but it’s essential if we want the right people in business and to allow everyone to thrive. Diversity of thought is becoming more visible, and it excites me to see so many young women coming through and thriving.”
Dr Carol Massay
Unity for Construction
My own journey at Wates began in a male-dominated industry, but having the right people around me – people who gave me a voice, offered feedback, and invested in my growth – has made all the difference.
“At Wates, we’re committed to creating an environment where women want to work, partnering with organisations and building a reputation that attracts female talent. We believe in intervening as early as possible – going into schools to open opportunities and challenge the idea that construction is just for men.
“Our social value team has done fantastic work educating both students and teachers about the diverse opportunities available, and we’re constantly working to design jobs flexibly so everyone can thrive.”
Beth Smythe
HR Business Partner, Wates Construction
