- Senior executives from Amazon Web Services, CyrusOne, Newdock and ALONDRA discuss the challenges faced by women in technical and industrial environments at a roundtable in Zaragoza.
- The Group reinforces its commitment to diversity at a strategic moment for the development of digital infrastructure in Aragón.
Zaragoza, 9 March 2025.- CYCLUS Group, a leading corporation in integrated services across the construction lifecycle, held the fourth edition of “Building in Equality” in Zaragoza. This annual initiative, organised to coincide with International Women’s Day, brought together leading women from across the construction industry to discuss, in a roundtable format, the role of female professionals within the sector.
The event, hosted at the Paraninfo Building of the University of Zaragoza, featured Alicia Lázaro, Chief Engineer at Amazon Web Services; Carolina Castro, Construction Manager at CyrusOne; Lucía Barrero, Head of Legal at Newdock; and Paula Sánchez, Deputy Managing Director at ALONDRA, a company within CYCLUS Group.
The discussion addressed the evolution of female representation in technical environments and in high-complexity projects such as data centres and large-scale logistics and industrial developments. The speakers agreed that while the number of women in the sector has increased in recent years, further progress is still required in terms of representation at executive level and on-site leadership roles.
“Real progress will come when that presence is firmly established within decision-making bodies as well,” noted Alicia Lázaro, who emphasised that in highly complex environments, “technical expertise, the ability to prioritise, and the capacity to perform under pressure are critical.”
Lucía Barrero advocated for equal opportunities throughout the entire professional journey: “We should be able to develop our careers in the area we choose and aspire to any level of responsibility based on our preparation and performance.” In her view, incorporating diverse profiles into executive committees “enhances the quality of analysis and strengthens corporate strategy.”
Carolina Castro highlighted the value of taking on responsibility in demanding contexts: “Accepting the challenge of leading a project within a global, highly specialised environment marked a turning point in my career.” She also underlined that in critical infrastructure projects, “strong technical capabilities and the ability to make decisions even with incomplete information are essential.”
Paula Sánchez focused on the operational reality: “There is a growing female presence within teams, including on site, although long-term retention in production roles remains one of the sector’s main challenges.” She encouraged young professionals to embrace new responsibilities: “You do not need to feel one hundred per cent ready to take the next step; accepting the challenge is part of professional growth.”
Leadership and diversity as a competitive advantage
The fourth edition of “Building in Equality” highlighted the importance of incorporating diverse profiles into the teams responsible for delivering major projects.
Currently, 27% of CYCLUS Group’s workforce is made up of women, compared to a sector average in Spain of approximately 11.5%, according to the Construction Industry Observatory. In addition, 30% of the Group’s executive positions are held by women, exceeding the usual industry benchmarks.
Through this initiative, the Group reinforces its commitment to equality, diversity and talent development at a pivotal time for the advancement of strategic infrastructure projects in Aragón and across Spain.