Specialist Driver Resourcing (SDR), the temporary driver agency dedicated exclusively to the builders’ merchant and building materials sector, has officially joined the Construction Inclusion Coalition (CIC) as a strategic partner.

The move reinforces SDR’s commitment to championing equity, diversity, and inclusion across a section of the construction industry where women and minority groups remain significantly under-represented.

The CIC was founded to encourage the industry to work together to retain, attract and recruit from as diverse a range of backgrounds as possible. Its vision is of an industry that better reflects the communities it builds for, working together to enhance companies’ individual equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives by fostering collaboration. The Coalition brings together senior leaders and member organisations to share knowledge, develop best practice, and actively encourage under-represented groups to see construction as a place where they can build a career.

By becoming a strategic partner, SDR will help to shape the agenda for positive change across the sector. This will allow SDR not only to advocate for drivers within the builders’ merchant and building materials supply chain, but also to take practical steps to improve representation in one of the industry’s least diverse areas: HGV driving.

“Driving is seriously lagging behind other parts of the sector when it comes to diversity,” said Simon Pritchard, Managing Director of Specialist Driver Resourcing. “That’s something we need to change. For me, joining the CIC isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about tackling the practical barriers that stop people considering driving in this industry, and showing that it can in fact offer a stable, skilled and rewarding career.”

The challenges of recruiting drivers are well known. The UK has faced an HGV driver shortage for more than two decades, with the average age of drivers in the merchant sector now in the 50s. High entry costs for licences, a lack of structured training routes, and persistent stereotypes about the physical nature of the work have all contributed to excluding talented people – especially women – from entering the profession.

Yet merchant driving offers distinct advantages that are often overlooked. Predictable hours, local routes, reduced heavy lifting (thanks to cranes and forklifts), and opportunities for progression make it one of the most family-friendly and sustainable driving careers. SDR, together with the CIC, will now focus on breaking down outdated perceptions, supporting flexible entry pathways, and giving drivers the respect and recognition they deserve.

Pritchard added: “If we continue fishing in the same talent pool, we’ll all struggle to meet demand. But if we can open doors for women and people from diverse backgrounds – including those who already hold HGV licences but may have been put off from considering this sector, or simply have never considered it before – then we strengthen not just our workforce, but the entire supply chain our customers rely on.”

CIC Chair Angela Rushforth said: “We’re delighted to welcome Specialist Driver Resourcing as a strategic partner. The merchant driver workforce is vital to keeping construction moving, yet it remains one of the least diverse parts of our sector.

"SDR’s leadership, experience, and commitment to practical solutions will help us show that driving can be an inclusive, rewarding and family-friendly career. By working together, we can tackle the skills gap while making our industry stronger, fairer and more representative of the communities it serves.”

By taking a leadership role within the CIC, Specialist Driver Resourcing hopes to demonstrate that a more inclusive merchant driver workforce is not only possible, but essential for the future of construction.