NAWIC’s vision is to build an equitable construction industry for all and we still need a significant amount of change in the sector to achieve that… writes NAWIC CEO Cathryn Greville
Progress is being made, and I believe we are on the cusp of a real cultural shift in construction – one where workplaces genuinely accommodate the needs of all workers, regardless of background.
Our National Awards for Excellence provide the opportunity to recognise the outstanding achievements of the visionaries, the collaborators, and the trailblazers who working on the ground to drive this cultural change.
The awards celebrate the achievements and innovation of women, organisations and male allies across four categories – the Crystal Vision Award, the Business Award, the Presidents’ Choice Award and the Male Ally Award.
Crystal Vision Award winners from chapter awards are finalists in the national category, chapter presidents select a standout individual from their respective awards to be entered into the National Presidents’ Choice Award category, and winners in the remaining two categories are selected from public nominations.
Congratulations to the winners selected from an outstanding field of 55 nominees and 24 finalists. The award winners announced on 13 April are:
National Crystal Vision Award
The GO Company (Tasmania – Jasmyn Smith and Logan Barnett). This award recognises advocacy, empowerment and championing of women in the construction industry. Co-founded by electricians Jasmyn and Logan, The GO Company is dedicated to supporting women in underserved industries by providing essential sanitary solutions. Throughout their careers, Jasmyn and Logan have experienced firsthand the barriers women face on worksites, from lack of representation and mentorship to practical challenges such as access to appropriate facilities and hygiene products.
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Rather than accepting these issues as “part of the job”, they chose to turn lived experience into meaningful action. They are also advocates for stronger regulation and enforcement around access to toilets on worksites and promote the concept that women’s hygiene facilities should be treated as essential safety infrastructure. They are driving real change to unblock barriers for women in the construction industry.
National Presidents’ Choice Award
Diana Quiceno (BLD Engineers Victoria). This award recognises overall outstanding achievement in the construction industry. As Founder and Director of BLD Engineers, Diana has built a commercially sustainable consultancy delivering project management and engineering services across energy, rail, transport, road, and airport infrastructure. She leads by example, creating a workplace culture based on respect, capability, and opportunity where she actively mentors women and migrant engineers, providing guidance, confidence-building, and practical support to help them succeed.
National Business Award
Laing O’Rourke (NSW). This award recognises businesses driving positive change to foster and support greater gender balance and equity in the construction industry. Laing O’Rourke is committed to accelerating gender equality through targeted, measurable and industry leading initiatives that directly address the persistent gender imbalance faced by the construction sector.
Over the past six years, this transformation has been supported by robust data, transparent reporting, and a shift from isolated initiatives to systemic reform embedded within business strategy – resulting in increased representation of women, promotions, and senior leadership participation, supported by industry-leading policies such as gender-neutral parental leave and investment in early talent through the Inspiring STEM+ program.
National Male Ally Award
Jack Batty (ACT). This award recognises men in the construction industry who actively champion gender equity and diversity by taking meaningful actions that foster inclusivity. Jack is a proactive ally and mentor. He champions inclusivity not as an aspiration but as a daily practice in his role with John Holland and with NAWIC.
For Jack, being a male ally means using his position and influence to actively support, advocate for, and create opportunities for women in construction. He also recognises that diversity extends beyond gender and is a vocal advocate for intersectionality, championing initiatives that support First Nations people, LGBTQIA+ colleagues, and other underrepresented groups in construction.
The achievements of our winners demonstrate the amazing results that come from prioritising a culture of fairness, inclusion and respect to create environments where everyone feels valued and able to succeed.
