Wednesday 16 September 2026 | London Hilton on Park Lane
Wednesday 16 September 2026 | London Hilton on Park Lane
The Inspiring Women event series is returning for 2026 and awards entries are now open.
We are delighted for the Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering event series to be returning for 2026. Once again supported by the editorial partnership of Construction News , Ground Engineering and New Civil Engineer to champion the role of women in construction and engineering. Following the success of 2025, the three publications will work together to provide networking opportunities and learning resources to help women make career progress and celebrate organisations being great places to work for women.
With a continued focus towards encouraging the development of women within the sector and improving EDI policy, the Inspiring Women event programme will bring together women from across both sectors to network, learn and celebrate their successes.
Entries are now open for the 2026 awards!
Countdown to Entry Deadline
IWCE event series 2026 in numbers
1,000+
Attendees
200+
Workshop
300+
Conference
650+
Awards
Key dates
Webinar - 09 March
Everyday sexism at work: The impact of non-promotable tasks on women’s careers
This years event programme will commence with our webinar, bringing together a panel of experts to explore how everyday sexism in construction and engineering leads to women disproportionately taking on non-promotable tasks, the impact this has on career progression, and whether responsibility for change lies with individuals or organisations.
What our editors say
To see so many organisations and individuals come together at Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering to champion gender equality is incredible. This event isn’t just about celebration, it’s about forging connections, addressing challenges and building a culture where women and allies feel empowered to lead and innovate. It’s a testament to how far we’ve come, and a call to keep pushing for even greater inclusion across the built environment.
- Thames Menteth, Senior Reporter, GE
Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering is an essential moment in the industry calendar. The event brings together powerful voices, practical insights and lived experiences that help drive meaningful change. By celebrating success while openly addressing ongoing challenges, Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering continues to inspire individuals and organisations to raise their ambitions for equality across construction and engineering.
- Belinda Smart, Deputy Editor, NCE
I am delighted that Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering is back in 2025, bigger and better than ever. Last year’s event was a real eye-opener for me. It was incredible to witness the breadth and depth of discussion about issues impacting on women working in the built environment. IWCE is a crucial forum to showcase what the industry is doing well – as well as where it still needs to go further to achieve equality of opportunity for women. The event is a fantastic forum for women to show solidarity and share their experiences – but it is also crucial that men within the industry get involved in the event and contribute to debate in order to provide allyship to their female colleagues.
Last year’s events for Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering were truly inspiring, and GE is excited to continue the conversation in 2025. From the launch webinar on 'Constructing equality – tackling and addressing unconscious bias' to the engaging workshop, conference and awards, it was a powerful reminder of the progress we’re making in the industry – and the challenges ahead. These events provided invaluable insights and sparked essential discussions on how we can continue to make ground engineering, and the wider civil engineering and construction sectors, more inclusive and diverse. It’s crucial to keep driving these conversations forward, ensuring we build a stronger, more equitable future for the sector.
Genuine inclusion is both a moral cause and vital to securing the lasting success of our industry and our professions. Along with Construction News and Ground Engineering, New Civil Engineer is dedicated to sharing the detail and solutions across all kinds of challenges in industry, so we are proud to support an event that drills down into the real experiences, opportunities and challenges facing women and wider diversity. Hearing the practical action and real successes of the individuals and companies leading the way – be it through their recruitment, training and promotion, or creating an environment in which women can thrive – is more than uplifting. It is integral to achieving further improvements and making our industry one that women find attractive to join.
Partnership Opportunities
The Inspiring Women in Construction & Engineering Awards are a unique and exciting programme of activity across the year, recognising the work of individuals and companies that are improving diversity and inclusion within the industry as well as striving to support and nurture women in the workforce.
With decision makers and influencers from across the industry, the webinar, workshop, conference and awards offer a unique opportunity to network, raise your profile and make new business contacts.
