Sustainability managers in the building sector: doing and undoing gender

Research Project, 2024 – 2026

The purpose of this project is to uncover the reasons behind the varying outcomesof sustainability initiatives across the construction industry and understand why sustainabilityinitiatives succeed in some companies and fail in others. We will focus on the complex interplaybetween gender stereotypes and the roles of sustainability managers. We aim to investigate thedistinct challenges these managers face, with a specific focus on their strategies for adheringto, navigating through, or challenging, gendered norms and expectations in their workenvironments, thereby engaging in the processes of reinforcing or dismantling genderconstructs, so how they do and undo gender. In doing so, our project aspires to contribute tothe broader discourse on gender, leadership, and sustainability in the construction industryand develop sustainable practices. We hope to offer evidence-based insights that can informthe development of more inclusive, equitable, and effective sustainability strategies that notonly address environmental and social challenges but also promote gender equality andempowerment within the sector.