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HS2 Ltd narrowly missed diversity targets for its in-house workforce last year, according to figures in the firm鈥檚 diversity, equity and inclusion report.

Roughly 37% of staff directly employed by HS2 in 2021/22 were women, while 22% were BAME 鈥� just short of the targeted 40% and 23%.

The company currently operates 350 sites, building a new high speed rail line between London and Manchester.

Across the project鈥檚 whole 25,000-person supply chain, staff diversity was above the industry average, with BAME workers accounting for 18% of the workforce and women 28%.

But at HS2 itself, there were no BAME workers employed at the director seniority level, while just 9% of senior technical/functional leads 鈥� the next most senior level 鈥� were from such backgrounds.

In recruitment, applications from BAME groups increased by nearly 10%, while hire rates increased by 2%. Applications from women remained low, although hire rates increased by 5%

>> 鈥楧iverse individuals within major organisations are leaving the industry鈥�

Roughly 3% of HS2 Ltd鈥檚 workforce have a declared disability, although 34% received some form of adjustment for disability, with the firm implementing more than 300 request for adjustments.

Natalie Penrose, head of legacy at HS2, said: 鈥淗S2鈥檚 scale brings the reality of our challenge to life, given the white male dominance that has gripped the rail and civil engineering sectors for many years.

鈥淏ut every challenge brings opportunity, and I鈥檓 proud of the huge waves we are making to address national skills shortages, the threat of an ageing workforce in engineering and in attracting more women and BAME candidates into employment on the project.鈥�

>> Manchester leaders push for underground station as HS2 bill goes for second reading

In January, the government introduced a bill which would grant the legal power to build Phase 2b of the railway, between Crewe and Manchester.

At the project鈥檚 peak, 34,000 people are anticipated to be needed to build the railway.