2025 Winners

Allyship Champion of the Year

Winner:  David Myers, Dornan Engineering

"The judges praised David for being a strong ally and advocate for women, mentoring and supporting their career progression across all levels and backgrounds. Their commitment and leadership are making a real difference, with heartfelt testimonials highlighting the value and impact of their support, it was clear that their advocacy, authenticity, and dedication to mentoring are driving positive change and inspiring progress within the industry. A huge well done on an incredible contribution."

Finalists:

Louise Clark
Tilbury Douglas

Gail Farley
HMS

Lou Garrick
Systra

Tarika Jain
nCircle Tech

Jayne Little
Skills4

Vince Pizzoni
Women Engineering Society

Keith Robson
AtkinsRéalis

Contribution to a Project

Winner:  Ashley Lancaster , Erith Contractors

"The judges said that Ashley “As senior project manager on the Sizewell A Turbine Hall Asbestos Removal and Demolition Project - her approach was literally 'ground-breaking'.

The judges were impressed by how she undertook significant engagement efforts with a broad and diverse range of stakeholders in a high-risk environment. Her thorough assessment of all available options for removing the turbine plinths, despite multiple obstacles including asbestos and highly flammable materials - led to a unique solution involving the use of explosives. She demonstrated an impressive level of leadership and influencing skills to make this happen, particularly notable in an industry where there are still so few female role models."

Finalists:

Eilean Appleton
Willmott Dixon

Lindsay Campbell
Fugro

Zainab Dangana
Wates Group

Eve Herrington
National Highways & Lower Thames Crossing

Jennifer Heath-Porsz
Willmott Dixon

Lara Alves de Oliveira Soares Rosa
Mott MacDonald

Tatiana Smith
Deerns

Lisa Taylor
MiCiM

Contribution to Gender Diversity

Winner:  Melanie Stewart, Merit

"Melanie’s passion was evident in both her remarkable journey and her groundbreaking contributions to the industry. She has consistently broken barriers and challenged biases associated with women working on tools and within traditionally male-dominated sectors."

Finalists:

Denise Airey
Airey Miller

Taffy Booth
Studio Booth

Krystyna Dimtchev
Arcadis

Karen Hughes
Genuit Group

Michal Gath-Morad
University of Cambridge

Kat Parsons
Female Design & Build

Keith Robson
AtkinsRéalis

Era Shah
Aecom

Subashini Suriyar
Dalkia

Inspirational Leader – Client

Winner:  Lisa McFadden , Translink

"The judges were impressed with Lisa's ability to bring people together despite their backgrounds or gender. She is an authentic leader and demonstrated great passion and enthusiasm, creating a culture of collaboration and inclusion.

The panel felt Lisa clearly demonstrated that empathy and kindness are a strength. She shows that calm, confident and fun can be a key contribution to inspirational leadership. Within 20 minutes she got three different people from various industries to want to work with her."

Finalists:

Yemi Aladerun
Meridian Water

Nicola Clay
The Crown Estate

Setareh Neshati
Westminster City Council

Kat Parsons
Female Design & Build

Catherine Tuffin
Cambridgeshire County Council

Inspirational Leader - Consultant

Winner:  Eftychia Koursari, Amey

"Our winner has created an incredible range of work and influence in her career so far - from technical innovation to global influence, academic leadership, and mentoring. The judges thoroughly enjoyed meeting her and hearing about her journey so far."

Finalists:

Katy Baker
Arcadis

Taffy Booth
Studio Booth

Pernille Bonser
Resonate Interiors

Victoria Clapp
Mott MacDonald

Krystyna Dmitchev
Arcadis

Sophia Flucker
MiCiM

Rebecca Heald
Rebecca Heald

Urszula Kanturska
Mott MacDonald

Hannah Smith
Ridge & Partners

Inspiring Leader – Contractor

Winner:  Renee Preston, Gallaway Construction

"The fact Renee coordinated a WhatsApp group of 156 young women is impressive in itself, finding them all mentors and sharing opportunities available across the industry with them was phenomenal. The judges loved her work with care leavers, young people not in education, employment, or training, and prison leavers and the holistic view she showed with the homeless. Her commitment to KPIs and using these to set high standards around engagement and addressing the skills shortages in industry set an example the rest of the industry should be aiming to follow. She clearly demonstrated a passion for going above and beyond to add social value and inspire in each and every project and all that Gallaway does."

Finalists:

Rachel Butterworth
Willmott Dixon

Zainab Dangana
Wates Group

Kay Denham
Galliford Try

Michelle Grady
Willmott Dixon

Louise Haining
Connect plus Services

Rebecca Harris
OCL Facades

Sukhi Kaur
Build 4U Property

Alice Monty
Equans Regeneration

Agnieszka Read
Bam

Heidi Salmons
Winvic Construction

Andrea Simon
Trant Engineering

Inspirational Leader – Supplier

Winner:  Mel Milazzo, GRS Group

"The judges’ thought Mel was a truly inspirational leader who fully embodies her organisations values of passion, people, and pride. They were blown away by her commitment to supporting people and improving their lives. The programmes she has created have not just improved people's careers but also their personal development and wellbeing. It was clear that she has had incredible impact across the organisation and beyond and is highly valued by her employers."

Highly commended:  Eibhlin Barrett, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage

Finalists:

Val Clarke
4PS Construction Solutions

Maxine Cornelius
City Plumbing & PTS

Jelena Arsic Van Os
Accsys Technologies

Paula Gould
Converge

Raeesa Rawal
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Lisa Roberts
Sterling quality Services

Rebecca Stewart
Artus Air

Rising Star - Contribution to Gender Diversity

Winner:  Alexia Williams, Defence Organisation

"Alexia’s authenticity and drive for EDI shone through. From being the only female on her apprentice programme to achieving a 50/50 split, she has demonstrated real impact. Her work spans company, industry, and government level – including speaking at a House of Lords Committee – showing her commitment to inclusive apprenticeships. The judges agreed Alexia truly delivered the Wow Factor."

Finalists:

Faith Abudu
Prima Systems South East

Jay James
Haskoning

Alkmini Karastamati
Heathrow Airport

Laura McGuigan
Kier Construction

Laura O'Donoghue
AtkinsRealis

Luana Parisi
University of East London

Sumaiyah Sareshwala
Burns & McDonnell

Bee Wylie
Willmott Dixon

Rising Star - Contribution to a Project

Winner:  Alex Clark, Severfield

"Alex is a disruptor, not afraid to challenge the status quo. What a breath of fresh air to look at the way things are done and come up with some simple suggestions which are so impactful on carbon, cost and programme which have been recognised and adopted by industry competitors. A true definition of a rising star."

Finalists:

Emma Alderman
Winvic Construction

Natalie Bonnick
Lower Thames Crossing

Abigail  Cattanach-Elsden
VolkerFitzpatrick

Grace Leckie
Multevo

Aura Lukaite
Canary Wharf Contractors

Hazel MacMahon
Fyld

Amelia Margiotta
Mott MacDonald

Millie Nimmo
Winvic Construction

Zophie Partridge
Multiplex

Grace Wheaton
Balfour Beatty

Rising Star - Technical Excellence

Winner:  Saffron Catterick, JBA Bentley

"The judges were delighted to recognise Saffron as a true rising star—articulate, passionate, and deeply human in the way she approaches problem -solving. She demonstrates outstanding communication skills and goes beyond her role, engaging in social mobility groups and STEM activities that make a real impact. Her presentation stood out by bringing something fresh and innovative to the table, while her ability to build strong business cases for new ideas shows how she is helping shape the future of the industry."

Finalists:

Zoe Alexaki
Robert Bird Group

Valentina Aleotti
Metis Consultants

Rebecca Calderon
Robert Bird Group

Melissa Cicin-Sain
Webb Yates

Camille Ezel
Aecom

Viktoiia Grachova
Winvic Construction

Neave Thompson
Winvic Construction

M Cristina Todisco
Coffey Geotechnics

Ruth Wallace
VolkerFitzpatrick

Chelsea Williams
Deerns

Technical Excellence

Winner:  Aggie Georgiopoulou , Ternan Energy

"Aggie’s contribution to Project Blackbird has driven automatic boulder detection using AI to simplify repetitive tasks saving time and money and reducing the risk of human error.

She brought key academic and research skills to a commercial role to overcome technical challenges with excellent client collaboration and problem solving to develop ongoing relationships and future business growth. She also maintained support for those within her team to ensure a sustained skillset for the industry."

Finalists:

Anna Beckett
Buro Happold

Victoria Boothby
Haskoning

Joanna Buckingham
Aecom

Zainab Dangana
Wates Group

Lucy Hayes
Jacobs & Lower Thames Crossing

Eftychia Koursari
Amey

Xiaoyan Long
Fugro USA Marine

Alex Murphy
Arcadis

Vanessa Quansah
Bovis

Alice Windle
GHD

STEM Champion

Winner:  Renee Preston, Gallaway Construction

"Renee truly leads by example, creating innovative programmes that deliver real, measurable results. She has provided opportunities for many graduates, making a lasting impact on their careers and futures. Beyond her direct work, she is also shaping wider change by contributing to policy through the development of a white paper."

Finalists:

Lucy Bansal
Tilbury Douglas

Lauren Edmunds
Balfour Beatty

Anna Fletcher
MEPC Milton Park

Danielle Haskings
MCS

Madeleine Jury
AKT II

Arya Langroudi
University of East London

Simon Oakley
Fugro

Sarah Peers
New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering

Isabel Perkins
Mott MacDonald

Cath Waller
Knights Brown

Alexia Williams
Defence Organisation

Unsung Hero

Winner:  Magdalena Widawska, Dornan Engineering

Highly commended:  Claire Brown, Stantec

"The judges were very impressed with Magdalena’s innovative ideas and her bravery in driving forward new solutions. They also admired her contribution to the Women at Dornan Network and her involvement in the mental health training programme.

The panel felt that her passion for positive change truly shone through, and that her commitment to wellbeing has created a lasting legacy within her organisation — defining her as a true Unsung Hero."

Finalists:

Katie Ashton
Balfour Beatty

Sandeep Kaur Bajwa
The OM Group

Tatiana Bentley
Electricity North West

Angie Brooker
Multiplex

Sunny Cadman
Watkins Payne

Clare Evans
City Plumbing

Colleen Hunt
International Powered Access Federation

Abby Rugg
Island Roads

Jodie Sawyer
MPB Structures

Honor Wilson
GMI Construction Group

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year

Winner:  Gallaway Construction, Construction For Women

"This was a clear initiative to address the skills crisis through engaging with young women and creating life changing pathways into employment. They gave evidence of impactful and measurable outcomes including securing placement of 72 young women in work, through the creation of credible partnership with international construction and engineering entities to support growth and further development."

Highly commended: Balfour Beatty, Right to Respect Project Team

Finalists:

AtkinsRéalis
#Hackafuture2025

AtkinsRéalis
#PPEforALL

Mothers into Work
CIC

Onnec
Women at Onnec

P3CL
Women's Leadership Group

DIIC

Diversity and Inclusion in Construction

Severfield

Excellence in Mental Health and Wellbeing

Winner:  4PS Construction Solutions, Building a Culture Where People Come First

"4PS Construction Solutions have a very comprehensive mental health programme, closely aligned with the 4PS' DEI strategy. It’s a scalable and proactive programme, with a people-first approach, clearly embedded in the company’s culture. A fantastic example of what’s possible when wellbeing and people truly come first!"

Highly commended: Connections Legal Management, To be the best we can be

Finalists:

Aquarian Cladding Systems

Mental Health Champion

B&K Hybrid Solutions

Mental Health & Wellbeing Room

Connections Legal Management
To be the best we can be

Dornan Engineering
Wellbeing at Dornan

MiCiM
Leadership Team

Winvic

Excellence in Outreach

Winner:  Gallaway Construction , Construction for Women

"The winner showcased three inspiring and inclusive programmes: Early Talent, Prison Leaver, and Construction for Women — all thoughtfully designed to engage a diverse community.

The judges were also impressed by the scale of impact achieved by such a small team, with initiatives spanning placements, mentoring, graduate recruitment, social value days and training facilities.

Their commitment to innovation, authenticity and stepping outside their comfort zone truly sets them apart."

Finalists:

Jomas Associates 
Building Foundations: Inspiring the Next Generation of Ground Engineering Professionals

Mine Environment Management 
Environment engineering STEM placements

OCL Facades
Girls can Build

Whitfield Consulting Services
Building a Stronger Future

Excellence in Recruitment and Retention

Winner:  FM Conway, An Employer for All Women

"FM Conway showed innovation within both Recruitment and Retention practices to win this award.

A fantastic use of Social Recruitment to engage the passive workforce and attract young women into the sector.

In addition, their ‘Personal Best’ programme to drive improved confidence for women in the business, open to all, from female operators to those in senior positions, is truly inspiring – well done."

Finalists:

Geoquip Marine
Elevating Recruitment and Retention Strategies through Inclusion, Innovation and Impact

Mott MacDonald
Engineering Equity

Excellence in Senior Leadership

Winner:  Metis Consultants, Senior Leadership Team

"Our winner here has a well-thought-out, holistic approach to senior leadership. With clear consideration and support for women's needs and challenges that they experience at different stages of their life and career, ensuring that they are able to excel within the company. This is a genuine people first business with care and understanding of people's needs at all levels for a more productive and happy business. And with an 80% female Senior Leadership Team, it demonstrates strong role-modelling and clear commitment to gender diversity at the highest level."

Finalists:

Coffey Geotechnics

Gallaway Construction

Metis Consultants
Senior Leadership Team

MiCiM
Promoting Women, Powering Progress

RLB Digital

Inspiring Women – Company of the Year

Winner:  P. Flannery Plant Hire , Leading the Way for Women in Construction

"The panel were impressed our winner’s innovative approach to changing the industry with their training hub, creating an environment that is safe for women on the ground.

It was great to see they are very much focussed on changing the culture of a male dominated industry. They were particularly impressed with their anti-harassment training and commitment to holding stand downs every 6 months. In addition, Flannery stood out for changing site workforce and the culture, and have made it a top priority, embedding it in their business by challenging any clients that don't share their values."

Finalists:

AtkinsR éalis

BakerHicks Belonging

Future Cast
European projects Team

Gallaway Construction

Severfield
Female Mentoring Programme

Waterman Aspen
Championing gender diversity

WeaveAir

Winvic

Next Generation Employer of the Year

Winner:  Gallaway Construction

"Gallaway Construction is a small company that is far exceeding its size in terms of its reach to the next generation. Their impressive numbers demonstrated a significant impact across a diverse range of initiatives from supporting apprenticeships to prison leavers to young women to championing neurodiversity in the industry. Setting themselves KPI targets to drive engagement of the next generation, that they not only met but exceeded. A significant passion was very evident to the judges and a clear investment from the company in social value. Gallaway are truly pioneering in the engagement of the next generation and lead by example."

Finalist:

4PS Construction Solutions

Bridging the Skills Gap: The Talent Strategy

B&K Hybrid Solutions
Trainee Scheme

GMI Construction Group
GMI Elevate - Mastering Talent. Soaring to New Heights

Mine Environment Management
Industrial student placements

RSS Infrastructure
Design a Railway Station 2030 Competition

Simple Works

Women’s Network of the Year

Winner:  Women in Property, Central Scotland Branch

"Our winner’s detail on industry partners, outreach, government engagement and media of communication was very strong. Holding 66 events in a year in central Scotland is very impressive and demonstrates the level of engagement and enthusiasm amongst the membership. The judges particularly enjoyed the detailed case study about schools’ and STEM outreach."

Finalist:

Arup
Connect Women+

Bluefield Services
Women in Leadership Network

Hilti
Gender Own It! group

Laing O'Rourke Women and Allies Network

London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Women in Engineering Group

P3CL
Women's Leadership Group

Wilson James
Hinkley Point C Gender Network