Increasing Women in Construction Using Public Procurement: Exploring the Impact of a Government‐Led Building Equality Policy

ABSTRACT The Australian construction industry remains one of the most male‐dominated sectors, with women comprising only 12.5% of the workforce and 3% of trades. In this context, policy plays a critical role in challenging entrenched gender norms, removing structural barriers, and promoting equitable access, participation, and progression for women and gender‐diverse individuals. Although gender workforce targets are widely used internationally to improve representation in male‐dominated sectors, their implementation in construction has been limited. In 2022, the Victorian Government in Australia introduced gender targets for government‐funded construction projects through the Building Equality Policy (BEP), a social procurement initiative. This study responds to calls for more policy‐relevant, interventionist research by engaging with 80 stakeholders across industry, government, and nongovernment organizations representing a tripartite collaboration to examine the design, implementation, and early impacts of social procurement policies in construction. Findings reveal strong industry support for gender targets and modest increases in women's participation, while also identifying persistent challenges related to policy enforcement, workforce alignment, and subcontractor capacity. The study offers evidence‐based recommendations for the development of gender target policies, highlighting the need for clear guidelines, standardized compliance mechanisms, robust data collection, and targeted support for smaller subcontractors. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of policy adaptability to respond to evolving industry conditions and emerging evidence. These findings highlight the importance of a consultative multi‐stakeholder approach and contribute to the design of more effective target‐based interventions aimed at improving gender diversity in the construction workforce.