CITB-ConstructionSkills, the Industrial Training Board and Sector Skills Council for the construction industry has brought sexual equality to the heart of Britain's construction projects.

It has announced that it has joined gay equality charity Stonewall's Diversity Champion programme.

By signing up to the scheme, the employer-led skills body committed to support equal treatment for staff who are lesbian, gay and bisexual and encourage construction employers to recruit a diverse workforce.

As the leadership organisation for skills in the construction industry CITB-ConstructionSkills is dedicated to communicating the importance of recruiting talent from all sections of society, and this move signals to the industry that they should take equality seriously.

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Mark Farrar, Chief Executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills said: "CITB-ConstructionSkills is proud to be a member of Stonewall's Diversity Champions Programme. Both as an employer ourselves and as the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry, we recognise that developing a workplace where nobody feels they need to conceal their sexual orientation is both good for staff and good for business."

He added: "The success of industry depends on being able to attract the best and brightest talent from all sections of the community and we're working hard to banish the stereotype that our industry is just for straight men.

"We hope that us signing up to the programme sends out a powerful message that the construction industry should take diversity seriously and encourage lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to consider a career in construction and what it might hold for them."

(GK)