The inaugural Building Good Employer Guide Live event took place at the Royal Institution in central London on March 6, 2025.

Organised by Building in collaboration with sister titles, Building Design and Housing Today, the event attracted over 150 professionals from the construction, architecture, and housing sectors.

The event, which was sponsored by Gleeds and RLB, featured CPD-accredited panel discussions on skills development and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) issues, crucial for ensuring the industry’s future resilience.

Industry experts shared their perspectives during the panel sessions:

• Karen Brookes, chief people officer, Sir Robert McAlpine
• Sarah Draper, people and culture director, RLB
• Louise Ellis, chief people officer, Gleeds
• Elly Hoult, deputy CEO & COO at Peabody and president of the Chartered Institute of Housing
• Natalie Penrose, stakeholder, skills and inclusion director, HS2
• Hony Premlal, founder and CEO at Hony Premlal Consultancy , and Chair of Eldon Housing & WISH London
• Alasdair Reisner, chief executive, CECA
• Sybil Taunton,  head of DEI, RICS

The event also featured the inaugral Good Employer Guide lecture by Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, presented by Gleeds.

The Building Good Employer Guide Live event underscored the industry’s commitment to evolving workplace cultures, addressing skills shortages, and promoting diversity and inclusion. By showcasing exemplary employers and facilitating critical discussions, the event aimed to inspire continuous improvement across the built environment sector.

The event marked the official release of several significant publications:

• The Building Good Employer Guide 2025: This guide features 45 employers from various disciplines and sizes, offering insights into modern working cultures within the industry.

• Housing Today’s Good Employment Report: An exclusive research project examining solutions housing organizations are implementing to improve diversity and address skills challenges.

• Women in Construction 2025: This special report reveals the stories of 12 inspiring women who are blazing a trail through their work in construction and the wider built environment