Women and the Profession of Planning

The 50/50 Profession, how will this change the context of planning?

Dr. Dory Reeves, University of Strathclyde in Glasgow

Leonora Rozee, Planning Inspectorate

Contact: E-mail doryreeves@cs.com

Abstract

One of the themes being addressed by this session is the gender balance of the planning profession; the need for change; the steps being taken by professions and expected outcomes. The balance between women and men in the planning profession (ie corporate members of the Royal Town Planning Institute, RTPI) is 76% male - 24% female. Amongst women and men the proportion of planners from ethnic groups is just 1% and only 0.3% of members are disabled. In political arenas, gender imbalance marks a democratic deficit and signals a lack of legitimacy of political structures. In the ongoing debates about governance in the professional institutes, the legitimacy of the current structures is open to question. A strategy for achieving the goal of a 50/50 gendered profession needs to systematically tackle the underlying reasons for the inequalities. This paper will provide an opportunity to examine the rationale for a 50/50 profession and it will examine initiatives being under taken by agencies in the UK.

About the authors

The principal author is Dory Reeves who convenes the Equal Opportunities Panel (women) and is a member of the Management Board of the RTPI. Leonora Rozee, a Senior Inspector with the Planning Inspectorate provided the case study and she and I have had a series of discussions about the issue of the 50/50 profession. The paper is based on ongoing work within the RTPI and the Inspectorate.

Introduction

In the UK, we are 'celebrating ' 25 years since the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act. Leaving aside the fundamental moral and legal right to equality in the workplace, if planning is to help deliver sustainability, it needs to represent the community in all respects in all its diversity. In this context, it needs to look closely at the balance of women and men in all sectors and levels of the profession and ensure there are equal opportunities for all.

Why is the profession still so gendered? What impact do women make on their professions? The paper will look at some of the literature as well as presenting the findings of a series of interviews with senior women in the planning profession. It will then go on to look at 2 approaches being pursued to work on the imbalance. The first, the strategy of mainstreaming which has been adopted by the RTPI. The second, a strategy for making a more women friendly profession looks at initiatives to increase the number of women in the Planning Inspectorate.

The Planning Profession

The Planning Profession is one of 8 professions in the construction sector, see Table 2. Professional Institutes date back to the early 19^th century and over time most became primarily concerned with the establishment and maintenance of standards. The professional institution structure with Charter status is a UK phenomenon. Most senior institutions have been granted a Royal Charter by HM The Queen in Council - the Privy Council - which has given then not only increased authority but also wide responsibility in a given area. Chartered Institutions are empowered and controlled through their Charter and Bye-laws and the Privy Council must approve any amendments agreed by members.

Responsibilities

Members of the RTPI are obliged to comply with a Code of Professional Conduct, which states that:

In all their professional activities, members shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, sex, creed, religion, disability or age and shall seek to eliminate such discrimination by others and to promote equality of opportunity [1]

Eleven years ago the RTPI published its first working paper on choice and opportunity [2](RTPI 1989) and five years ago that the Practice Advice Note (PAN 12) 'Planning for Women' was published and made available to all members. [3]

The Research Guidelines also define the obligations of members who undertake research:

' Members have a professional obligation to ask themselves how their conduct of the research and presentation of their findings helps eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunity' [4]

Recent reports have highlighted the need for a rationalisation of professional institutions[5] and the need for modernisation. This has been further highlighted by the Urban Task Force Report on Urban Renaissance[6], which calls for more inter-professional working. Chief Executives of the built environment professional institutions have recently been quoted as saying that institutes are 'losing the plot' as far as their role in modern industry, 'stuffy', 'very fragmented', 'living off their past'. Perhaps most relevant to this debate reference is made to their 'exclusive obsolete culture'. [7] But nowhere in the report is anything said about equality or diversity or the need for balanced professions and the term exclusive is used to mean professional exclusivity rather than equality. And yet it is recognised that professions along with management systems and gender culture play a dominant role in blocking change in organisations. [8]

The gendered nature of professions

Although the percentage of women corporate members of the RTPI has increased from 15% to 24% in 10 years; at this rate it would take another 25 years to reach an equitable profession. Representation of women throughout the profession paints a similar bleak picture, as illustrated below in Table 1.

The planning profession as with other built environment professions is characterised by vertical and horizontal segregation, which affects salaries, opportunities and prospects.

Table 1 the nature of the planning profession

Categories	Total Number	% Female
Corporate Members of the RTPI	14,050	24.2%
New intake of Student members	396	44-45%
Proportion of male to female students[9]	66%	33%
Fellows	395	4%
Members of TPI Council	56	18%
Management Board	12	8%
Branch Chairpersons/Convenors	14	29%
Directors of Planning and Related Organisations	473	4%

Sources: Membership Records and RTPI Databases (2000)

In the construction professions, the contrast is even more marked as the Table 2 below illustrates.

Table 2 Membership in the Construction Professions

Institutes	Total membership	Total female	% female	% of sector
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)	33,143	903	2.7	5
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)	15,264	319	2	3
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)	79,480	3425	4.3	26
The Institution of Structural Engineers (IstructE)	21,636	951	4.4	5
The Landscape Institute (LI)	Not presented in Greed's work
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)	32,000		12	11
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors(RICS)	92,772	8062	8.7	35

Greed, C. (2000) [10]

Trends

In the UK, a man is twice as likely as women to be in the professional occupation. [11] This is a marked improvement since 1983 when men were four times as likely to be in professional occupations, but there was little relative change between 1991 and 1999. This contrasts with the position in the planning profession where the percentage of women Corporate members has increased from 15% to 24% in the last 10 years - it has to be said that at this rate it would still take another 25 years to reach parity.

Overall in the UK economy, activity rates for men are 84% compared with 72% for women. But 90% of male's work full-time compared with 45% of women. It is only in part-time work that there has been any significant change in the UK and other European countries. [12]During the 10 period up to 2006, activity rates for women were expected to increase by almost 3% with an equivalent fall for men, particularly in the 55-59 age group.

Table 3 Differences between women and men in professional occupations 1983-99

	1983	1991	1999
Women	5	13	14
Men	22	30	29

Source: Social Attitudes Report (2000) [13]

Not so much a gender gap

The age profile for women and men in the planning professions is very different. 57% of women respondents to the member's survey were under 35 compared with 26% male. Only 2% of female respondents were over 55 compared with 13% of men. Women are twice as likely to spend time out of planning than men. Two thirds of job sharers are women. Women are more likely to work in local government. [14] . In a recent salary survey[15] three quarters of women planners earn below £25,000 pa ($61,250) the halfway mark for professional earnings overall in the UK.

There is an international trend toward more women seeking higher education, obtaining professional training and joining the workforce. [16] But given the rate of increase over the last 15-20 years, it will be a considerable long time before there is parity in the planning profession. We know from returns from planning schools that females make up just 1/3 of the intake.

Women in the planning profession are much more likely than men to think that the institute is not doing enough about equality. In its most recent survey of members, only 29% of women agreed with the statement that 'the RTPI takes equal opportunity on the grounds of gender seriously - compared with 47% of men. [17] This is consistent with other work Focus groups have found that women want to see change. [18] Research in other arenas shows that 'young women and men talk equality, but the focus group interviews suggest that few young men will make any personal or professional sacrifices for equality, and young women already sense that.' [19] This reflects studies in the health professions which show that young people are moving towards a more androgynous ideal but that for instance male registrar doctors are egalitarian until they become consultants when according to female colleagues they revert to patronising gender stereotypes when dealing with women.[20]

The reports of the social attitude surveys[21] show that 'women and men tend to differ in the strength of their views' whether this is in relation to job satisfaction or priorities for public spending. A fifth of women and a quarter of men are in principle against a reversal of gender roles where 'the man stays at home and cares for the children and the women goes out to work. Women are more likely than men to prioritise education are, 32% of women compared with 22% of men see education as one of the most important issues facing the country. Women are more likely to focus on pensions as an issue, whilst men focus on low pay. 20% of women compared to 34% of men see Europe as one of the most important issues facing the country.

However the social attitudes survey does show that in those areas where women and men have different 'interests' a divergence of views is apparent. For instance, men are increasingly more likely than women to believe that single mothers should get jobs, reflecting the fact that only 2% of single parent households are men are.

In a national workshop in Leeds in 1996 women identified a range of issues including:

· Balancing work as a planner and family life

"How is it possible to balance work and family commitments? Few women at the top in local government have children. Is it unrealistic to hope to be a good planner and a good mother/parent? The time, effort and commitment required to reach levels of higher management can only be achieved at a cost to the family or with a high level of support"

· Being accepted in the profession

· The importance of role models[22]

"When you are a student you are unaware of the barriers within the workplace and feel you can take on the world. As soon as you start work as a planner, there is an entirely established way of doing things which is very hard to influence and change. It is a very difficult path to tread to put oneself in a position of moving up the hierarchy."

Other organisational barriers, which have been identified, include:

· Lonely and non-supportive environment

· Treating differences as weaknesses

· Excluding people from group activities because of their differences

· Failure to help individuals prepare for management, to balance work and personal life issues and develop organisational awareness.[23]

What impact women make?

More women it is said will lead to 'more humane forms of management and thus greater productivity and less of a confrontational, conflict-ridden 'macho-pack culture'. [24] It has been argued that in a gender equal parliament, women's less confrontational and more consensual approach will transform decision-making. [25] Su Maddock found that 'women managers appeared to have a strategic approach to change both inside and outside organisations'. Also that women managers have a strong user focus.[26] The business case is also cited as a reason to seek the balance. After all, what is good for women is good for everyone. [27] Others argue that more feminists in the profession who hold 'alternate views' to the establishment will help to shift the way the profession defines and approaches planning problems. The notion of the critical mass has been rehearsed since the 1970s and more recently. [28], [29] Significant numbers are required to bring about a sustained and long-term shift. Although it is believed that the position of women in the professions will change as women enter the professions in increasing numbers, research suggests that this will happen neither automatically or easily.' [30]

The impact women make in the workplace has been explained in terms of 3 theories. Firstly, we define ourselves differently; women are not physiologically disposed to want top jobs[31] Secondly, men organise themselves and create establishment structures to further their own interests. [32] Thirdly, rational choice is used to explain that greater efficiency rewards can be gained by one half of a domestic partnership specialising in domestic tasks and caring whilst the other specialises in earning money[33]

A recent series of interviews with senior women in the planning profession undertaken by the author certainly are refuting the first and third theories and questioning the second. The findings reflect the notion of the challenging women, which Sue Maddock found in the public sector. [34]

It is clear that the women interviewed have made an impact as a result of a number of supportive boss/line managers. In one case this involves an explicit strategy of encouraging women into senior management positions with targets. Networks are also important, from lunch clubs to formal groupings. One of the most important personal qualities is resoluteness "fighting you're corner" "wanting to make a difference" "challenging the way things are done".

Where does the 50/50 profession fit in?

Recent research across the professions in Scotland highlights the following barriers to the achievement of equality:

· Exclusionary practices

· Gender stereotyping

· Lack of flexible working and family friendly policies

· A failure of professional organisations to actively promote equal opportunities. [35]

A campaign, co-ordinated by the Scottish Trade Union Council (STUC) put forward the original proposition for a Scottish Parliament with equal representation of women and men in decision making in the run up to Devolution. The 1999 report to RTPI Council on mainstreaming equality in the planning profession provided an opportunity to identify ways in which the profession could become more balanced [36] The adoption of 'mainstreaming ' in effect means that in considering all its activities, the RTPI would integrate gender considerations. [37]The report to Council highlighted, for each area of activity what could be done, see appendix. The concept of a 50/50 profession was headlined as a means of signalling the profession of the future.

Mainstreaming has evolved as a strategy to achieve equality between women and men. It is seen as a mechanism for valuing difference in a socially and culturally diverse society. Significantly it involves a fundamental consideration of the relationship between men and women. The gender perspective inherent in the mainstreaming model recognises the relevance of the lives of women and men to the achievement of equality and seeks to integrate equality issues into all policies and programmes. As well as the relationship between men and women, mainstreaming is concerned with the differences between the genders; and the differences within the genders.

Mainstreaming confirms the important role of legislation and positive action. Positive action, legislation and managing diversity are all about achieving equality. Positive action involves specific initiatives to address disadvantage. A good example is the Wellpark Enterprise Centre in Glasgow set up to provide support for women setting up in business. It is important in addressing long-standing inequalities. It may involve setting up new projects, inside or outside existing organisations. The legislative approach provides a source of redress for individuals, perhaps in a relatively hostile environment or in an environment where discrimination has been unwitting and unconscious but nonetheless serious and undermining. Mainstreaming would seem to be most appropriate in a reflective, adaptable and open-minded arena, perhaps where representation of women and men has already achieved parity. The approach implies a high level of self-awareness and political commitment on the part of organisations and supported by other

research. [38],

In the past there has been a tendency to treat women’s under-representation as the women's problem; first to be dealt with by means of assertiveness training which doesn't eradicate entrenched attitudes, then mentoring which does not challenge the informal networks. Sensitivity training has followed to enable male managers to gain a better understanding of the ‘special’ contribution women can make, and this has often led to even more pigeon holing of women into roles where their supposed skills could be used to best effect whilst not tackling the 'deficiencies' in other male colleagues. Progressive companies and organisations are now tackling the underlying working practices, those things that reflect the outdated and now inefficient cultural norms, which can be real turn-offs to those under-represented groups. So everyone wins, the organisation in terms of efficiency and competitiveness, the individuals both male and female who can now work in a place where individuals do not feel obliged to almost conceal family responsibilities or the fact that they have a life outside work.

The 50/50 profession does not mean having a rigid quota but it does demonstrate a commitment to achieving an equitable profession. Equality between women and men means ensuring that both can access and take part in planning education, training, employment opportunities and the activities of the institute on an equal basis. It does not mean treating everyone the same if this 'same' will disadvantage certain individuals.

A50/50 profession can only be achieved with a strategy, which systematically tackles the underlying reasons for the inequalities, which exist. There is no point in the RTPI launching a PR campaign to attract more women into planning without tackling those aspects of the profession which are still an anathema to many women and indeed many men. It is possible for organisations and agencies, in tackling inequality, to provide services which are more efficient, and effective and customer orientated and at the same time are sensitive to the needs of women as well as men. Some of the working practices and cultural norms of many planning departments and consultancies are not only inefficient but are a definite deterrent to those who want to combine work and home. The member's survey revealed that women are much more likely to work in the public sector which may raise some uncomfortable questions about the working practices of consultancies.

Case Study – the Planning Inspectorate

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) is an Executive Agency in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the National Assembly for Wales. Its function is to deal with planning and allied casework in England and Wales. The Agency’s main areas of work fall under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and includes determining planning and enforcement appeals, holding inquiries into objections to Development Plans and hearing objections into Compulsory Purchase Orders and Rights of Way Orders. It is also responsible for a range of other casework including the holding of inquiries under the Housing Acts, the Environmental Protection Acts and the Transport and Works Act and dealing with listed building appeals. The process of decision-making on appeals is governed by Common Law, Acts of Parliament and Statutory Instruments, which are interpreted by the Court and developed by practice and convention.

Aims and Structure

The primary aim of PINS is to provide an efficient, effective, expeditious and economic service of a high quality and delivered to high professional standards. PINS employs about 600 staff of who about 350 are professionally qualified Inspectors, who work remotely from the Headquarters in Bristol. Inspectors tend to be multi-disciplined but about 80% are professional planners. The remaining staffs, based in Bristol, provide the administrative support to the business. On the professional side, men dominate the Organisation. In 2000 only about 12% of Inspectors currently employed were women. As part of the diversity action plan developed by PINS a target has been set to achieve 18% of women Inspectors by 2005.

Equality Initiative

Under the Modernising Government agenda the Civil Service is committed to delivering a dramatic improvement in diversity. PINS response to this agenda was to undertake an Equality Project in 1999, the purpose of which was to develop a strategy for addressing the issue of diversity within the appeals system generally and, in particular, to improve the gender balance in PINS. The Project involved a self-selected group of staff from across the Organisation, which carried out a comprehensive study of the impact of PINS procedures on society, PINS internal systems and attitudes and cultures within PINS. One of the key findings of the Project was to establish that PINS recruitment material did not adequately reflect the commitment of the Organisation to equality/fairness.

Focussing on the need to improve the gender balance of the Inspector workforce a survey of women Inspectors was carried out in 1999. This gave information about where women Inspectors had come from in terms of previous careers, why they had joined PINS, what they perceived as the advantages and disadvantages of the job (with a special question devoted to the needs of parents and carers) and whether they would recommend the job to other women. A similar survey of male Inspectors was carried out in 2000. This enabled PINS to identify those aspects of the job of an Inspector which are most likely to appeal to women.

The gender proofing of recruitment material is undertaken using the information gleaned from the 2 surveys and the Equality Project. The latest recruitment material has sought to emphasise those aspects of the job of an Inspector which have proved particularly attractive to women, such as working from home, flexible working patterns, independence and challenging and varied work. Other measures have been taken to promote the job of an Inspector to women. These include giving a presentation to the RTPI National Symposium on Gender Equality and the Role of Planning in 1999; having an article published in Planning, the national magazine for the planning profession, on the job of an Inspector as a career opportunity for women; and sharing a seminar at the Town and Country Planning Summer School 2000 on Gender in Planning. All of these measures appear to have assisted PINS in increasing the proportion of women recruited as Inspectors. In the last recruitment exercise (in mid-2000) 50% of those recruited (8 in total) were women.

The next steps

The Equality Project team are continuing to equality proof PINS practices and procedures. PINS recognise that it is no longer acceptable for the public face of the Inspectorate (ie the Inspectors) to be overwhelmingly dominated by white males. However, in the context of the drive for diversity within the Civil Service and the inclusion within national policy for diversity mainstreaming to be part of the planning process, PINS has the necessary framework within which to pursue the goal of a more diverse Inspectorate and to contribute to a long term aim of achieving a 50/50 profession.

Conclusions

Headlining the 50/50 profession in the report to Council in 1999 represented a strategic approach to shift the way in which the profession sees itself. Although popular amongst women, the 'slogan' has caused much-heated debate. The prospect of quotas which smack of positive discrimination (which is illegal) are an anathema to many in the UK, despite targets now being routine in the Civil Service, as evidenced by the Inspectorate. Many men are fearful of a feminised profession, with lower status than predominantly male professions, lower salaries and fewer prospects.

The 50/50 profession will change the context of planning. We only have to look at the research in other professional areas to see this. Professional Institutes like planning need to publicly commit to a diverse profession, which is gender, balanced and then systematically tackles those barriers, which prevent entry to and retention in the profession.

In political terms, gender imbalance is seen as a mark of the democratic deficit and questions the legitimacy of political structures. In the ongoing debates about governance in the RTPI and professions, the legitimacy of the current structures is open to question.

Mainstreaming Gender in Planning

Table 4 Summary Recommendations to Management Board on the systematic integration of gender equality

Action for the Institute

Action for Related organisations

Existing:

1. Gendered breakdown of students in accredited planning schools

1. Best Value indicators to be equality proofed

2. Inspectorate, local authority planning services and consultants to be encouraged to produce equality audits

1. Full Gendered breakdown of Members Survey

2. Gender Proofing of Subscriptions

3. Gender Audit of Institute Head Office

4. Gender Audit by Branches and

CPD providers

5. Improved imaging in leaflets and publicity material

6. Gender proofing of all publicity material

7. Inclusion of a specific equality criteria in the National Planning award.

8. Systematic Equality Audit of the RTPI budget

9. Full Gender breakdown of student applicants

1. Gender Audit of CPD events themes and contributors

2. Ensure that CIC material is equality proof

Action for the Institute

Action for Related organisations

1. Renewed commitment to implement the 25% target of female/male membership of panels and committees.

2. Commitment to Equality targets in the Corporate Plan/Annual Plan

1. Mainstreaming to be adopted as a policy tool

2. Adopt term gender equality

3. Positive Action to be used where appropriate

4. Define mainstreaming and write it in to the terms of reference of all committees, panels and ad hoc groups. Recommend that this is discussed at the beginning and followed through.

5. Declare support for a 50/50 profession

6. Equality to be a core activity of the Branches

7. Commitment to ensuring that consultation responses include an equality perspective

8. Commitment to adoption of non-discriminatory language leaflet

1. The requirement for mainstreaming will need to be clearly articulated by central government, through the PPG's and NPPGs and PANs

2. Support the adoption by CIC of mainstreaming

3. Further promotion of job sharing

4. Promote CPD training on Gender Mainstreaming and Equality

5. Ensure that those contracted to undertake work for the Institute are required to include the promotion of Equality as part of their brief.

Action for the Institute	Action for Related organisations
1. Members have a professional obligation to ask themselves how their conduct of the research and presentation of their findings helps eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunity (RTPI Research Agenda 1994).	Where joint research is being carried out or work commissioned, the commitment to promote equality should be recognised in the brief.
1. A Gender Impact Assessment of Institutional framework 2. Gender Audit of Planning Magazine for content and contributors and profile 3. Involvement of EO Panels in framing Corporate Plans
1. Applied Research Programme includes suggested gendered project 2. Annual reports from Institute committees and Panels to include a statement on how gender equality is being promoted
1. Commitment that Applied Research Programme will include a gender project 2. Checklist for publicity material

Action for the Institute

Action for Related organisations

1. 25% target for women on committees and panels

2. Women’s speakers list available to PET and Branches as a positive action.

1. 25% target for women and men on committees and panels.

2. Gender Audit of RTPI committees and Panels

3. Incorporate returnee’s schemes into the mentoring programme

4. Review of the Branch Women’s Co-ordinators Role and the associated BOAN

1. Targeting sponsored places at summer school to returnee’s

2. Possible quota for women and men

for sponsored places

Acknowledgements: Joint Panel and Branch Women’s Co-ordinators Meeting September 1999, Summer School Mainstreaming and Mentoring Workshop, Swansea September 1999, Laura Rheiter for the follow-up gender analysis of the 1997 Members Survey and all those who have contributed to the work on gender equality to date.