On December 5^th, as part of a panel for USDOL’s Women’s Bureau, I will be addressing an issue that not only threatens workplace safety but also undermines the integrity of our industry: Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH). GBVH is pervasive in many industries, but in construction, the stakes are particularly high. Rates of GBVH are disproportionately high and, even more troubling, incidents often go unreported due to fear of retaliation or stigma.

Child care is critical for the success of professionals in the construction trades, but too often workers aren’t able to find care during the hours they need, affecting everything from career trajectories to job satisfaction to family life at home, leading to questions about a continued willingness to stay in the trades.

We sat down with Laura Soma, CCE Advisory Board member since 2013, to learn about her career, sustainability in construction and her insight into the industry. Laura is the Sustainability Manager at GLY Construction, holds a LEED AP, BD + C, and was elected CCE Co-chair at the most recent Advisory Board meeting.