Creating inclusive training environments across the building services engineering sector.
LCL Awards' Inclusivity Charter supports approved centres in creating welcoming, supportive training environments where people from all backgrounds can succeed. Through flexible delivery, inclusive practices and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Charter helps centres open their doors to a broader, more diverse audience.
Because a more inclusive sector is a stronger, more sustainable sector.
The Inclusivity Charter was developed in collaboration with Hattie Hasan MBE, founder of Stopcocks Women Plumbers and the Register of Tradeswomen. Her work has been instrumental in supporting women and underrepresented groups into skilled trades, helping to challenge perceptions and improve access across the sector.
The Charter brings together real-world experience and practical insight to create a framework that works for training centres today.
Making a difference at this grass roots level should have real impact. If people from underrepresented groups have a positive experience in training, they start their careers with greater confidence.
Inclusivity means ensuring that every learner has an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background, experience or personal circumstances.
There is no single approach. It requires collaboration between trainers, centre teams and learners to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, supported and able to engage fully.
Inclusivity is an ongoing process. As learner needs evolve, so too must the way training is delivered. The Charter provides a framework to support that continuous improvement — helping centres adapt, learn and grow over time.
The LCL Awards Inclusivity Charter addresses the wider challenges facing the building services engineering sector and helps centres create a more welcoming and attractive environment for prospective learners.
With a significant skills shortage and an ageing workforce, the industry must attract people from all backgrounds to meet future demand. By taking practical steps to encourage women and other underrepresented groups into training, centres not only support a more diverse and inclusive workforce but also broaden their potential learner base.
Meeting the Inclusivity Charter will:
Demonstrate your centre’s commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)
Differentiate your centre from competitors
Attract a broader cross-section of learners
Support quality assurance and continuous improvement.
Embracing inclusivity is not simply the right thing to do – it is a sound business decision.
It (meeting the Charter) has been such a worthwhile process, as it’s given us the opportunity to enhance our EDI policies and really think about how we bring diversity to the training centre. Our drive to offer renewables training to our workforce has been hugely successful, with a greater take-up than anticipated. Focusing on the Inclusivity Charter has helped us shape the way forward.
– Lee Miles, Technical Trainer & Development Specialist, E.ON.
The Inclusivity Charter is built on action. Across the LCL Awards network, centres are already taking practical steps to create more inclusive, supportive and accessible training environments.
LCL Awards centres are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment where both learners and centre staff feel safe, heard and supported.
Centres are committed to creating environments where learners and staff feel safe, respected and supported from the moment they arrive. Open communication is encouraged, giving learners the confidence to raise concerns and access support when they need it.
Practical steps include accessible facilities, inclusive washroom options and quiet spaces for reflection or time away from the classroom.
Read about LCL Awards Centres that have adopted this practice:
Before starting the process, it's important to review how your centre currently supports inclusivity and identify where you may want to develop further.
Do you have clear policies in place? How are expectations communicated and upheld across your centre?
If you are interested in achieving Inclusivity Charter status, the process is designed to support you in recognising what you already do well — while identifying opportunities to strengthen your approach.
Join a growing network of training providers committed to improving access, outcomes and diversity across the building services engineering sector. Whether you are already delivering inclusive training or just starting your journey, the Charter provides the framework to move forward with confidence.
