Building Equality: Finding Community in Construction
June 2026
Thinking about joining Building Equality?
It’s one of the best decisions you could make.
Firstly, what exactly is Building Equality? It’s an alliance of 70-plus companies and organisations from the construction industry working together to drive LGBTQ+ inclusion forward. Think about built environment consultants, engineers, developers, contractors, and other institutions all coming together to make their industry welcoming, including and supportive.
But it was lonely and fraught with challenges, misconceptions, and a lot of waiting for appointments that literally saved my life.
It was a time in my life that I often felt unsure of where I belonged. Navigating those years inspired me to create change. I became determined to make a difference so that no one else had to feel the way I did back then, which led me to become a founding member of a former employer’s very first employee resource group: an LGBTQ+ and allies network, naturally.
Being part of that initiative showed me the power of community and collaboration, and it sparked a passion in me for driving inclusion wherever I work and inspired my own independent EDI consultant Beyond Labels Consulting!
Now, my personal experience: I bumped into Building Equality by accident. In fact, I didn’t realise I was part of the team until I was standing in the middle of the London’s Pride Parade next to the famous rainbow digger in my hard hat and short-shorts.
In what feels like a lifetime ago I had chosen the road less travelled, you see, I’m trans. How I explain that when I am running my workshops or training is: when I was born, a very intelligent, learned person looked at my physical features and said that I was a girl and therefore female, and for most people that’s usually right, but for me? That wasn’t quite correct, so I eventually begun my journey to become the very best, happiest, most confident version of myself: Jason Miles Summers.
Building Equality's rainbow digger at London Pride 2018
Building Equality's London Build 2025 'The Last 10 Years - How Far Have We Come and How Far Have We Gone Back?' panel
That network led me to Building Equality, however accidentally I ended up here, and suddenly construction wasn’t so lonely anymore. Unexpectedly I had access to a thriving community of kind-heated, passionate people across 70+ organisations in the sector who not only ‘got’ what makes the built environment so interesting and exciting, but also provided resources, knowledge and support, and understood that I was still on a tough path both personally and professionally.
I recommend Building Equality to anyone that wants to fill their network with LGBTQ+ role models and future friends, but also wants to get involved in influencing and improving LGBTQ+ inclusion in the built environment. This work matters because LGBTQ+ people in the construction industry are still less likely to be open at work and experience high rates of bullying and harassment related to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Building Equality is also a safe and encouraging place to get involved with things normally outside of your comfort zone. It’s exactly what happened to me. As part of the Building Equality team, I have had the opportunity to march in London’s 2018 Pride Parade (and soon to be at the 2026 one as well!), attend many meetings and social events (in-person with pizza and wine, as well as virtual), participate in various panels, and travel to regional offices to deliver training under my own independent brand.
And what I really love about Building Equality is that they have welcomed me back as an independent Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and have given me the opportunity to share my expertise and passion across the network.
So, when are you joining? Get in touch!
Building Equality's January 2026 'Invisible Trans Men' panel
About
Jason Miles Summers
Jason Miles Summers is an award-winning Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) consultant with more than 15-years’ experience in the private sector and a decade in the construction sector. This breadth of experience gives him a strong understanding of how people, culture and inclusion underpin both organisational health and commercial success.
His services include:
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High-impact training and workshops – equipping teams with practical skills to drive inclusion and create measurable cultural change.
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C-suite and leadership mentoring – guiding senior leaders to embed inclusion strategically, enhancing performance, retention, and reputation.
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Data-driven analysis and action planning – turning insights into tailored strategies that deliver real results for organisations.
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Conference, panel, and keynote speaking – inspiring audiences with thought leadership that motivates action and sparks meaningful conversations.
If you’re looking to drive meaningful change, reach out to him at Beyond Labels Consulting – he’d love to hear from you!
