UK construction industry unites for landmark London walk to drive cultural change and open the sector to more women

Hundreds of men and women from across the UK construction industry will walk 10km through central London in one of the sector’s largest coordinated campaigns for workplace cultural change.

Organised by LMG and branded Hard Hats & Open Minds, the walk is a public commitment from contractors, consultants and supply chain partners to tackle the public’s perception of the industry that keeps women out of construction — and to put male advocacy at the heart of the solution.

Beginning at House of Sister’s Grimm theatre at 10:00am and winding past ten construction-related landmarks before finishing back at the theatre, the 10km Walk for Change is expected to draw between 200 and 500+ participants, with teams entered by firms including Overbury, Structure Tone, and Canary Wharf Contractors. Walkers are raising funds for Killed Women, the charity representing families bereaved by male violence, through JustGiving team pages.

Currently only 15% of the UK construction workforce are women, a figure that has barely shifted in a generation. Hard Hats & Open Minds calls on the industry to treat that statistic as a business-critical issue and to commit to the policies, training and culture changes that will move it.

Mike Hook, co-owner of LMG and organiser of the walk, said:

“The construction industry has come a long way and is no longer a man’s world; however, the public’s perception has not changed. This initiative is about asking the construction community, particularly men, to step forward and demonstrate how far we’ve come, through the power of male advocacy. Construction is a very visible, very male-dominated industry, so if men in hard hats stand alongside women and families affected by male violence, that sends a powerful message.

“There is also a hard business reality here. Construction needs people. It needs talent. It needs the next generation to see it as a place where they can build a great career. If women do not feel welcome, or respected in our industry, then we are failing both morally and commercially.

“Walking 10km through London is the easy part. The real work starts afterwards — in the policies companies put in place, the training they offer, the conversations they have on site, and the behaviours they choose to challenge.”

Why construction, why now

Hard Hats & Open Minds positions construction as a proving ground for wider cultural change in male-dominated sectors. Organisers intend for the walk to be the launch point for a programme of follow-on activity including:

• Gold standard corporate abuse, stalking and harassment policies aligned with the Workers Protection Act .
• Coercive control awareness and prevention training designed specifically for male-dominated environments.
• Partnership with safety technology provider WalkSafe, mapping the route and supporting vulnerable employees whilst outside the workplace and during their commute.
• Ongoing partnership opportunities for supporting organisations.
• A transferable model the organisers intend to share with other male-dominated sectors, from logistics to engineering.

Event at a glance

Event: Hard Hats & Open Minds — Walk for Change

Date: Thursday 25 June 2026, 10:00am start

Route: Central London, House of Sisters Grimm Theatre, 23-25 Eastcastle St, London W1W 8DF, via ten construction-related stops (approx. 10km, ~3 hours)

Organiser: LMG

Charity partner: Killed Women

Technology partner: WalkSafe

Fundraising: JustGiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/page/lmg-hard-hats-and-open-minds-charity-walk