Harris Creative and Building Equality – a perfect match for Pride

For the second consecutive year, Harris Creative was proud to support Building Equality’s Pride events, with our joint-MD Kirsty Scott once again donning her bedazzled hard hat and marching in the parade alongside LGBTQIA+ colleagues and allies, and of course the iconic rainbow JCB.

Building Equality is a UK-wide alliance of built environment consultants, engineers, developers, contractors, and institutions working together to drive LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the construction, engineering and built environment industry.

The day kicked off with the pre-Pride brunch hosted once again at Arup’s Leeds office, with Alex Morris, design leader for major projects at Arup, welcoming us and emphasising the importance of inclusivity and events like Pride at a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are being eroded in several countries across the globe.

It was also the ideal opportunity to say a fond thank you and farewell to outgoing chair of Building Equality West Yorkshire, Steven Adams of Mott Macdonald, and welcome the four new co-chairs who will take the baton for 2026.

As well as enjoying a tasty brunch, attendees could decorate their own hard hats for the parade and network with others from across the built environment industry in a relaxed and welcoming environment. From there, the group of 90 or so people marched in the parade, braving the rain for the final stages, for a celebratory finish.

Commenting on the event, Kirsty said: “Leeds Pride is becoming one of my favourite events of the year, and we’re very happy to be supporting Building Equality once again. The construction and built environment sectors are large and diverse, and it’s important that we take every opportunity we can to make it clear that the industry is a welcoming place to work, for everyone.

“Building Equality offers a safe space and a voice to LGBTQIA+ people working within the industry, and at Harris Creative we are proud to stand with them as allies.”