ISG Smart Series looks at ‘All Change’ in the workplace

ISG celebrated its third Smart Series event in style at Investec's recently revamped offices in London, a fit out project that ISG delivered for the specialist banking and asset management group

 Following ISG’s Smart Series events in April and June, ‘Creating Offices for the future’ and ‘Offices – the debate’, respectively, the theme of October’s event was ‘All Change’ and centred around diversity in the workplace.

ISG director of UK Fit Out and Continental Europe, Matt Hurrell, opened the event, which was held at Investec’s 30 Gresham Street offices on Thursday 4 October, with a warm welcome to experts, leaders and specialists from across the construction industry.

He introduced guest speakers; Katrina Kostic Samen, managing partner at KKS and new president of the British Council of Offices (BCO), Asif Sadiq, head of diversity and inclusiveness at Ernst and Young Financial Services UK, and Laura Brown, legal counsel and co-lead of Investec’s Gender Balance Network.

Katrina kicked off the presentations, explaining the need to create inclusive built environments, while stressing the importance of understanding workforce diversity and taking responsibility for driving the innovation needed to sustain a positive and inclusive corporate culture, accessible to all.

Katrina, who’s participation at the event is a credit to the excellent relationship ISG has with the BCO, went on to discuss best practice in design and the need for design strategy to be built upon human requirements, cohesive communities, different personalities and health and wellbeing.

In addition, she highlighted the importance of understanding what diversity in the workplace really looks like and explained how companies can look at building a neurodivergent workforce by using technology to remove unconscious bias and eliminate barriers. 

Asif Sadiq took guests through Ernst and Young’s diversity and inclusiveness journey, highlighting the business case for increasing diversity and how the power of people can be harnessed to create better solutions for the workplace. 

He emphasised the importance of effective and inclusive leadership and explored how the concept of ‘belonging’ fits in.

The session was concluded by Investec’s Laura Brown, who talked about Inspire – Investec’s initiative for the development of diversity and inclusion. 

With Inspire’s mission to celebrate the differences and individuality of the workforce by encouraging people to unleash their potential, Laura gave an insight into Investec’s journey so far as well as the initiatives taken to empower BAME and LGBT networks, as well as its Young Minds network.

ISG is committed to the drive for diversity and inclusion within the company and its supply chain. 

Launching Smart Series in 2018 was an opportunity for us to show that ISG is more than just a construction contractor - our business is made up of dynamic and innovative people, and Smart Series aligns with our core values to ‘dream smart’ and ‘never stop learning’. 

It was an honour to be able to host the third in the series at Investec, providing the opportunity to highlight our delivery capabilities. 

Watch this space for information on upcoming Smart Series events launching early in 2019.