Construction has a long way to go to move the needle on diversity and inclusion in its ranks. While the industry's numbers, compared to the nation's overall workforce, skew heavily white and male, companies are making efforts to change that.

Currently, over 1,100 firms are taking part in Construction Inclusion Week, which kicked off Oct. 18. The initiative, founded by six major construction firms, looks at leadership accountability, unconscious bias, supplier diversity, jobsite culture and community engagement in the industry.

CIW, which is modeled on the industry's highly successful Safety Week, is aimed at bringing diversity, equity and inclusion to the forefront of construction's workforce. In addition, the initiative is designed to make diversity and inclusion a focus in construction 365 days a year, CEOs of the founding companies told Construction Dive.

One firm that's been doing that is Burns & McDonnell, an employee-owned, full-service construction and engineering firm based in Kansas City, Missouri, with a legacy in construction dating back to 1898. Here, Construction Dive talks with Leon Harden, Burns & McDonnell's diversity and inclusion strategy manager, about what the company is doing to change the face of its workforce.

(For the full interview, visit Construction Dive)

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