Case study · Peab
Boosting gender diversity in construction
How Peab's Construction Year program reached 276,000 untapped candidates with automated social recruitment marketing — and 86-95% of the applications came from women.
The challenge: an industry built on entrenched gender roles
Peab faced a stark gender imbalance, with notably low female representation in its workforce — a reflection of a broader struggle across the traditionally male-dominated construction industry. Entrenched gender roles and the absence of female role models in the field kept many women from ever considering a career in construction.
"Confronting the gender imbalance within construction isn't just a necessity; it's an opportunity to innovate and thrive. At PEAB, we're not just building structures, we're building a diverse future, and this means dismantling barriers that have held back talented women from joining our ranks." — Anita Florén, Head of Recruitment & Employer Branding at Peab
Peab AB is a leading Nordic construction and civil engineering company — and a long-standing Adway partner with a history of successful social recruiting outcomes.
The objective
Building on a history of successful outcomes with Adway, Peab set out to shatter the industry's gender norms with automated social recruitment marketing. The technology precisely targeted untapped female talent pools, propelling Peab's Construction Year program beyond traditional outreach — and opening the door for women to enter construction roles.
"Our partnership with Adway reflects our ambition to lead with cutting-edge recruitment technology, targeting the untapped well of female talent. It's about precision in our approach and boldness in our actions. With Adway's automated social recruitment marketing, we are not just reaching out, we are reaching right – to those women who are a perfect match for PEAB." — Anita Florén, Head of Recruitment & Employer Branding at Peab
Adway's strategy
Adway built the campaign around four pillars — each designed to put the Construction Year program in front of the women best matched to it:
- Candidate journey mapping — charting the journey to tailor the campaign to potential female applicants for the Construction Year program
- Content development — compelling, targeted messages crafted to engage women and address the gender gap
- Ad distribution strategy — meticulously developed to give the program maximum visibility with the right audience
- Employer branding — positioning Peab as an inclusive, progressive workplace through the partnership
The targeted advertising campaign reached over 276,000 unique individuals and generated more than 900,000 impressions. Remarkably, between 86-95% of the applications were by women — a testament to the campaign's resonance with the intended audience.
A campaign that didn't just reach more people — it reached the right people.
Conclusion and future outlook
Adway's partnership with Peab has set a new precedent for hiring practices in the construction industry. By creatively overcoming traditional barriers with targeted digital marketing, they opened the door for many women to enter and enrich the construction workforce. The Construction Year program is poised to continue — with the ambition that its success inspires further action across the industry to embrace gender diversity.
"The overwhelming response to our 'Construction Year' program is a testament to what can be achieved with innovative thinking and the right partnerships. Looking ahead, this initiative is merely the first of many steps we are taking towards a more equitable future in construction. With continued commitment, we will set new standards for diversity in our industry." — Anita Florén, Head of Recruitment & Employer Branding at Peab
More from Peab
144% increase in relevant talent — local at scale
The Construction Year campaign is one chapter of a bigger partnership. See how Peab centralised recruitment marketing across 16,000 employees and four countries with Adway — more than doubling candidate inflow.
Read the full Peab storySee how we create results
Reach the talent pools your job boards never touch — with Adway's automated social recruitment marketing.
Book a demo