Employee Spotlight: Hannah Shires Shortlisted in FIR & CITB Awards

We are delighted to spotlight Hannah Shires, Quality Manager for National Highways East who has made remarkable strides in promoting inclusive practices within our industry. Hannah’s dedication and innovative efforts have earned her multiple nominations in this year’s Fairness, Inclusion & Respect (FIR) Awards.

 

Hannah has been shortlisted in two prestigious categories as part of the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Inspiring Change Awards:

• Ambassador of the Year: This nomination recognizes an FIR Ambassador who has gone above and beyond to foster a culture of fairness, inclusion, and respect within our business and the wider sector.
• Innovator of the Year: This nomination celebrates groundbreaking initiatives that drive meaningful change in FIR-related areas across the built environment.

 

Hannah’s influence in FIR leadership is evident in her actions. As the only female member of her contract’s senior management team, she has: 

• Launched an FIR Book Club, 

• Introduced a Mental Health Awareness Programme 

• Developed a Mental Wellbeing Strategy informed by employee survey data and real-life experiences.

Ringway's Innovator for the Year shortlisting centres around the support Hannah has provided Sarah Gatland and Ringway colleagues with the Active Bystander Training initiative – a bespoke programme designed to address industry-specific challenges. Now being rolled out across the business, the training uses real-life scenarios to build empathy and equip employees with practical tools to intervene effectively.

 

In addition to these nominations, Hannah has also been shortlisted for The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)’s Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction Award, under the 'Local hero' category in the East of England. This award recognises women making a significant impact at a local or regional level. 

 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Hannah on these well-deserved recognitions. Her dedication to advancing fairness, inclusion, and respect is inspiring and a testament to the positive change one person can drive. Thank you, Hannah, for your outstanding contributions to making Ringway and our industry a better and more inclusive place to work.