Friday, December 5, 2025
The movement to champion and empower women across the United Kingdom’s forestry, manufacturing, and construction timber supply chains is gaining applaudable momentum. Women in Timber (WIT) has officially announced the date for its second annual conference, confirming that the flagship event will take place on Thursday, 1st October 2026, at the prestigious Oulton Hall near Leeds, West Yorkshire. The announcement follows the highly successful inaugural conference in September 2025, which saw over 120 women gather to foster community and address the critical issues of gender diversity and professional development within the timber sector.
The WIT initiative, administered by Timber Development UK (TDUK), was born from a simple yet powerful idea: to create a dedicated, supportive space where women in the traditionally male-dominated industry could connect, share their unique journeys, and collaborate on building a more resilient, inclusive future for wood-based construction.
The 2026 conference is expected to build upon the momentum generated by its launch, aiming to bring together an even larger cohort of women working at every level of the industry—from the forest floor to the boardroom. The event’s objectives are sharply focused on three core pillars:
1. Inspire and empower
The conference will showcase success stories and celebrate the achievements of women navigating complex, technical, and often physically demanding roles. By highlighting the journeys of female pioneers and leaders, WIT aims to inspire the next generation and create visible role models who can dismantle outdated stereotypes. For example, recent years have seen a steady rise in women taking on roles in practical forestry, complex engineered wood design, and high-level materials procurement, proving that technical expertise and leadership transcend gender.
2. Build a strong community
The most immediate and tangible benefit of the conference is the networking opportunity. Bringing together over 120 professionals, the event fosters an inclusive network where women can openly discuss shared professional challenges, offer support, and form mentoring relationships. This sense of collective strength is crucial in an industry where women often represent a small minority within their individual workplaces. This platform allows attendees to realise they are not alone in navigating issues like unconscious bias, career progression roadblocks, or the balancing of personal and professional life.
3. Encourage learning and development
The agenda for the 2026 event is currently being curated, but is designed to be highly practical and beneficial for personal and professional growth. Attendees can expect a compelling mix of keynote talks, panel discussions, and focused workshops.
Key topics are anticipated to include:
One of the takeaways from the previous year was the power of shared experiences. As one attendee noted, “Seeing so many women come together to support one another and share experiences was incredibly powerful.” This direct, relatable knowledge exchange is invaluable.
While the timber industry has historically been male-dominated, particularly in manufacturing and on-site roles, the drive for sustainability and innovation is rapidly changing the landscape. The sector faces an urgent skills shortage and is under pressure to deliver low-carbon building solutions. Attracting a diverse and highly-skilled workforce—including more women—is not merely a social goal but an economic imperative.
Research, such as recent surveys on gender equality in the woodworking industry, has indicated that women are often severely underrepresented in manufacturing roles, sometimes accounting for less than 10% of the factory workforce, though the representation in senior or professional roles can be higher. This disparity underscores the value of initiatives like Women in Timber, which actively seek to reshape perceptions and demonstrate the diverse, rewarding career paths available across the entire wood supply chain.
By promoting diversity, the industry benefits from varied perspectives, which can lead to more innovative solutions in areas like sustainable sourcing, material efficiency, and product design.
Organised by the WIT committee in partnership with Timber Development UK, the conference is a non-profit endeavor, often directing proceeds towards charitable causes like the Timber Trades’ Benevolent Society (TTBS).
Businesses within the timber sector committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) now have a prime opportunity to support the initiative. Sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 conference are available, providing companies with a platform to visibly demonstrate their commitment to a more balanced and dynamic workforce.
The 2026 Women in Timber conference promises to be a pivotal event in the UK’s construction calendar, reinforcing the message that the future of the timber sector—its innovation, resilience, and growth—depends on the skills and leadership of all its professionals, regardless of gender.
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Tags: career development timber, female leaders wood sector, gender diversity in construction, professional growth UK, Timber Development UK (TDUK) initiative, timber industry networking, Women in Timber 2026
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