Recent events have brought the important issues of racial justice, equality, and diversity once again to the forefront of conversation in America. While it remains a sad fact that these issues are unresolved in our nation our small team at Hemenway Construction has and will continue to take steps to support minority communities and businesses. We believe it is crucial to take a stand for racial justice and equality and we need a call to action. Not only within our industry but as people we aim to grow a sense of community and set ourselves apart from other businesses through our actions, not just words. 

At Hemenway, we have in the past and will continue to support minority-owned businesses. According to the Minority Business Development Agency, roughly 30% of American businesses are minority-owned employing 7.2 million Americans and generating over $1 trillion a year in revenue. However African Americans own some of the smallest businesses and amongst these minority-owned companies, only 7% are in construction and 5% within finance, insurance, or real estate. Based on these numbers, let’s not forget that supporting minority-owned businesses is not limited to consumer purchases. We suggest evaluating your entire supply chain, from your office supplies to your construction needs. By hiring a diverse group of subcontractors we can bring much needed new ideas to the table. As research has shown time and time again, there are myriad reasons to support diversity within the workplace or in our case the job site. 

Diversity ensures a variety of different perspectives.
Diversity leads to increased creativity.
Diversity leads to a higher innovation rate. 

All of these factors are crucial when tackling complex construction and design projects. Working with minority-owned firms such as A & S Construction and Demolition Abatement, Advanced Green Insulation, DaSilva Construction, and Rami Plumbing and Heating has only served to strengthen our business. Also, while perhaps not as large an issue now due to COVID-19 the construction industry was facing a major labor shortage prior to the pandemic. As things return to a new normal, there will still be a need for talent within the industry and we need to begin attracting people across all ethnicities and backgrounds. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, Black people comprise 12% of the overall workforce, however only make up around 6% of the workforce in construction*. Again bringing diversity to our industry will only help to increase innovation, something that is needed now more than ever given new restrictions and guidelines put in place because of COVID-19.

As we continue to search for ways to work for racial justice and equality, The Hemeneway team is looking to expand our network of minority-owned subcontractors and vendors. If your firm falls into this category and you work in or around the Boston area, we would love to talk to you about ways we could work together. Please contact Stacy Paz at Hemenway Construction at 617-322-6348 or StacyP@hemenwaycm.com. Finally, as a small business ourselves we value all clients and are available to assist in a wide range of construction projects across the Boston area, from ground-up construction through renovations/fitouts. Working with Hemenway Construction Management you can be assured that not only will we provide quality and value but with a strong moral compass, actively working not just to grow our business but in a socially responsible manner.

*Statics sourced from https://content.benetrends.com/blog/minority-owned-businesses-beyond-the-statistics