Recognized for fourth consecutive year for our efforts in driving gender equality in the workplace

Jacobs has been recognized for the fourth consecutive year for our efforts in driving gender equality in the workplace. The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality 2024 is U.K.’s most highly profiled and well-established listing of employers taking demonstratable action to create workplaces where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive. 

Business in the Community (BITC) has been running The Times Top 50 for 14 years, as part of its Gender Equality work. Applicants are assessed on the work they do to remove gender inequalities in the workplace, including flexible working, family friendly policies, pay, reward, and progression at work.

“This award demonstrates Jacobs’ continued commitment and success in taking demonstrable action to create equality in the workplace,” says Jacobs Senior Vice President Europe Kate Kenny. “We’re significantly improving our global gender balance, with our aspiration to achieve 40% female talent, 40% male talent and 20% being a flexible measure — including any gender and those who choose not to identify or disclose.”

Jacobs’ TogetherBeyond℠ approach supports a workplace where people of all backgrounds, gender, ethnicity, geography, disability, sexuality or any other characteristic, can thrive. Through our Jacobs Employee Networks, our Communities of Practice and other ways, our employees collaborate and drive pivotal initiatives within Jacobs that promote an inclusive workplace. Our Jacobs Women’s Network (JWN) supports gender equality initiatives within Jacobs and in the wider communities we serve, through career development activities, networking events, community outreach, mentorships and much more.

“At Jacobs, we intentionally integrate equality into our daily operations and empower our people to thrive and contribute,” says Jacobs Director Melissa Godfray. “For example, we enhanced a number of our wellbeing benefits, including introducing a new partnership with Carrot to bring employees free inclusive fertility healthcare, family forming benefits for all paths to parenthood, and menopause and low testosterone benefits and support. We’re proud of the progress we have made so far, however we acknowledge we still have work to do as we continue our journey.”

“Being named as a Times Top 50 employer for gender equality demonstrates Jacobs’ commitment to driving a more equitable, inclusive world,” explains Business in the Community Gender Equality Director Charlotte Woodworth. “But while the employers who made the list are doing great work prioritizing gender equality, there is still more work to do. From addressing pay disparities to better supporting those with caring responsibilities, many employees, women among them, still face barriers to finding employment and progressing in their careers. It is every employer’s responsibility to play their part in reducing and removing gender inequalities from the workplace, and research shows this isn’t just the right thing to do, it also makes business sense.”

A world where you can

We’re continually working to broaden the pipeline of diverse talent and, given the typically lower female representation in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) careers, we’re particularly focused on empowering our female talent to pursue different careers and lifelong professional opportunities at Jacobs. Our agile careers structure enables employees to develop new skills and accelerate learning in different business areas. In 2023, we introduced our Returnship Program for talented professionals looking to refresh skills and reignite careers after an extended career break. And our Jacobs Go! Program provides six-month roles that encourage career growth and greater understanding across our global footprint.

In addition to amplifying diverse representation across our talent programs, in 2023 we launched two bespoke programs, black LeadHERship and WISE (Women Inspiring and Supporting Each other), to provide support, mentorship and development opportunities to prepare participants for success in their current and future leadership roles. JWN also offers two mid-career programs, Lift While you Climb and Ladder Up. In 2023, we enhanced and relaunched our mentor scheme, enabling automatic mentor matching technology, to accelerate career development, learning and networking opportunities for employees. 

Developing the next generation of professionals, our global graduate development program and our local apprenticeships transition our future talent into our community with the skills, networks and knowledge necessary to create the foundation for a successful career at Jacobs. We provide our interns with practical, relevant “real life experience” to help support their professional goals.

Focus on wellbeing

We understand the importance of family and flexible working, and that women are disproportionately affected in balancing caring and work responsibilities. Integrating physical, mental, financial and social wellbeing, our global wellbeing program, tools and benefits put our people and their families first, giving them resources and support to be at their best. In addition to Carrot benefits, our parental leave transition program, Bridge the Gap, helps employees navigate different pathways to and through parenthood, with structured workshops for employees and their line managers, toolkits, buddies and office champions.

We also provide a free global mental health check-in tool called One Million Lives to help users assess their current mental health and provide them with suggestions and resources for personal growth and resilience.