Female Leaders in Construction (FLIC) has been shortlisted for a major UK industry award less than two years after launching.
FLIC has been named a finalist in the Women’s Network of the Year category at the Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards 2026, a national awards programme that celebrates organisations and individuals driving change and making outstanding contributions to gender diversity within the sector.
This marks a significant milestone for the Scottish-founded network dedicated to supporting women in senior leadership roles across the built environment.
Since its launch in 2024, FLIC has more than doubled its membership, with more than 120 senior women now on its active database spanning construction, housebuilding, architecture, planning, engineering, social housing and consultancy. Its LinkedIn community has also grown rapidly.
FLIC was co-founded by Liana Canavan and Julie Moulsdale. Liana is founder and director at The Firefly Consultancy, which provides tailored sales and marketing support for the housebuilding sector; Julie is founder and MD at specialist built environment communications consultancy, Perceptive Communicators.
Established to provide a dedicated network for women with significant industry experience who are already operating at senior leadership level, FLIC focuses on increasing the visibility, capability and connectivity of senior women across the sector.
The network has also established an influential advisory board (pictured) comprising senior leaders from across construction, housebuilding, legal and professional services, helping to shape its strategic direction and providing visible role models for the next generation of industry leaders.
Canavan commented: “To be recognised on a UK-wide stage is a tremendous achievement for everyone involved in FLIC and a reflection of the appetite for change across our industry.
“When we launched in 2024, we identified a significant gap in support for women who had already reached senior leadership positions. While there are many excellent initiatives supporting early-career talent, there was very little specifically focused on helping experienced women continue progressing, building influence and supporting one another. There is still a lot of work to be done to make changes in the industry but this shortlist recognises the momentum we have built together and demonstrates that Scotland is leading the way in championing senior female talent.”
Moulsdale added: “We are incredibly proud that a Scottish-founded network is being recognised alongside organisations from across the UK. This shortlist is validation of the impact our members, supporters and advisory board have helped create in a relatively short period of time.
“Construction remains heavily male dominated, particularly at senior levels. By supporting and championing experienced women already working within the sector, we’re helping unlock talent that can strengthen businesses, improve decision-making and ultimately contribute to a more productive and innovative industry.
“Our members regularly tell us how valuable it is to have access to a trusted peer network of women facing similar leadership challenges. This recognition belongs to all of them.”
