Diversity & Inclusion

At Paschen we understand that meaningful community engagement is a nonstop process and essential to serving as an effective and valuable partner to the communities we serve. We work with community leaders and partners, elected officials, labor representatives, and other stakeholders throughout the lives of our projects to ensure that diverse local businesses and community residents are represented.

Paschen has a long-standing commitment to building strong relationships with diverse businesses including Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Woman Business Enterprises (WBE), Small Business Enterprises (SBE), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), businesses in the 8(a) Business Development Program, and other socio-economically disadvantaged business enterprises.

While we always strive to meet and exceed our participation goals for diverse businesses, we also make it a priority to engage diverse businesses on projects which do not have participation goals by employing our aspirational goal of awarding 20% of the contract value to diverse businesses.

While our years of experience mean that we already have a large number of diverse businesses with which we have worked, we are always looking to make connections through industry and outreach events. If you’d like to receive information about these events, please complete our Subcontractor and Supplier Interest Form and submit to [email protected].

In addition to growing the capacity of the small and diverse business community, we are committed to creating diverse workforces on our projects. Before a project even breaks ground, we identify new employment opportunities and develop project specific workforce plans. And as a project moves forward, we meet regularly with our subcontractors to identify additional new employment opportunities – opportunities that have the potential to move community residents, minorities, and females from unemployment and underemployment into the skilled trades, leading to successful and long lasting careers in the construction industry.

We credit the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas of our employees and team members with creating stronger and more collaborative environments.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES. MORE PASCHEN.

PROFILES IN DIVERSITY

Opportunity Through Dedication

"Paschen has always backed me up, I've never felt that being a female was a problem in the construction industry."

IRMA MONTIEL

Motivation Through Action

“There’s something to be said when you see someone that looks like you succeed. When I was in their shoes, I didn’t have that. They see me with my lunchbox and tool belt and it's motivation for them to say, well he did it, why can’t I?”

ROOSEVELT HUBBARD

Advancement Through Ambition

“I grew up in…a pretty rough neighborhood. Out of all the people I grew up with, I was the only one that wanted something more than what’s offered in the streets.”

OMAR SMITH

Perseverance Through Family

"We work side-by-side every day, for 8-10 hours a day. You tend to get to know one another... you become family."

RONDALE WILLIAMS

Our Affiliation Stories

Chicago CRED

Paschen is a proud to partner with Chicago CRED (Creating Real Economic Destiny), an organization dedicated to ending violence through preparing at-risk young men, including offers ex-offenders, for entry-level jobs throughout Chicago. 

ComEd Construct

Paschen is a proud participant in ComEd’s CONSTRUCT Program, an eleven-week training program that provides minorities with information and guidance to help them compete for entry-level jobs in construction-related fields.

Dawson Technical Institute of Kennedy-King College

Paschen’s relationship with DTI has been highly successful. Paschen has recruited and hired several graduates of DTI’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program.

Our Affiliations

African American Contractors Association

Black Contractors United

Chatham Business Association

Chicago CRED

Chicago Urban League

Chicago Women in Trades

Coalition for United Community Action

ComED CONSTRUCT

Dawson Technical Institute of Kennedy-King College

Federation of Women Contractors

Hispanic American Construction Industry Association

Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association

South Suburban College

U.S. Minority Contractors Association