A LEADING Carlisle firm has set up a working group to drive its commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

Story Contracting has created the Women in Story group to support women working in traditionally male-dominated roles such as engineers and plant fitters.

The group is made up of women from across Story Contracting’s five divisions – Rail, Construction, Plant, Story Scotland and Reiver Homes.

Its aim is make sure people are chosen for jobs on merit and work to identify and remove barriers women can often face in their careers.

Amy Lister, an assistant quantity surveyor, is a member of the group.

She said: “The construction and rail industry are faced with challenges.

“Union GMB recently announced it will take nearly 200 years to achieve gender equality in the construction industry.

“That’s why we’ve committed to advancing the cause of equality in Story Contracting for the generations of women who will be part of the Story family after us.”

Construction director Emma Porter decided to create the Women in Story working group.

She said: “This is about making sure everybody is being judged fairly on their merit and what they bring to the table rather than being based on their gender or background.

“It’s not about saying women are better than men or favouritism.

“But it’s been proven time and again that diverse teams have the potential to outperform homogeneous teams.

“Diverse and inclusive workplaces aren’t just good for women, they are good for everyone.”

Story Contracting recently won the Investing in People accolade at the Rail Partnership Awards, reflecting the company’s commitment to sustainably grow, retain and attract a diverse group of people to the rail industry.