Delivering London 2012: workforce diversity and skills

Workforce diversity was a significant feature of London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This paper describes how, based on a commitment to inspire change, the Olympic Delivery Authority incorporated and delivered priority themes of equality, inclusion, employment and skills. It explains how contractors increased the diversity of their workforces against industry norms and improved recruitment practices to become more inclusive. By focusing on employing and training people who were local, previously unemployed or traditionally under-represented in construction, contractors were able to have a positive impact on the economic and social regeneration of east London.