AECOM Embraces #GiveToGain to Advance Women in the Built and Natural Environment

In support of International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March under the 2026 theme of ‘Give To Gain’, global infrastructure leader AECOM highlights how mentorship, allyship and shared opportunity are shaping careers across architecture, quantity surveying and environmental science.

IWD recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while calling for accelerated gender equality. The ‘Give To Gain’ theme reinforces a simple but powerful idea: when individuals uplift others, workplaces and industries grow stronger. At AECOM, this principle is reflected in the journeys of professionals across the built and natural environment, each demonstrating how shared growth fuels both individual and collective progress.

Across disciplines, variety and challenge continue to define the profession. Maggi Marx, Associate Director and part of AECOM’s 55-strong Enterprise Capabilities quantity surveying team, reflects on more than two decades in the field: “After 24 years as a Quantity Surveyor, no two days are the same. Each project and client poses a fresh challenge. The world is our playground and collaborating with our international teams, sharing our capabilities, and delivering world class projects excites me.”

Her career spans mega projects such as the Durban Harbour Dig Out Port, Transnet’s Multi-Products Pipeline Project, breweries and civil infrastructure development for a smart city in Saudi Arabia, along with other acclaimed Middle East developments. That international exposure, including time spent working in London before returning to South Africa and joining AECOM, has reinforced the value of global collaboration and knowledge exchange.

A similar sense of energy defines the architectural space. For Divita Isaac, Professional Architect with 12 years’ experience in the built environment, design is about more than drawings, it is about shaping environments where people can thrive. “The constant variety and evolution within the field is very exciting,” says Maggi. “Creating places that not only function well, but where people can interact with their environment, feel comfortable and inspired, and are able to thrive is what makes the work meaningful and exciting.”

In her role, Divita develops design solutions and technical documentation that translate client vision into built reality, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and ensuring alignment between regulatory frameworks and design intent. Since joining AECOM, she has contributed to major international projects, including a large-scale development under NDA, broadening her technical and collaborative expertise.

Environmental responsibility forms another critical dimension of the built and natural environment. Sisipho Matsoso, Environmental Scientist in AECOM’s environmental permitting and planning team, works at what she describes as a pivotal intersection. “Environmental permitting and planning sit at a critical intersection where science, policy and people meet,” she explains. “Knowing that our work helps balance development with environmental protection gives real meaning to what I do every day.”

Supporting projects through environmental permitting processes requires careful judgement, regulatory compliance and long-term sustainability thinking. Working alongside multidisciplinary teams has strengthened her perspective on how technical and environmental priorities must align to ensure responsible development.
While their disciplines differ, each of these professionals highlights growth through mentorship and opportunity as central to their journey. Maggi recalls submitting her university application to study quantity surveying at just 17 years old, later completing her Honours degree at the University of Pretoria in 2002 while working for a small construction firm, an experience that taught her to consider the broader context of projects.

For her, #GiveToGain extends well beyond professional milestones. “There are so many ways to give, even if you only can afford a smile or remember a person’s name, the impact of this gesture will not go unseen. Small acts can drive big gender equality gains,” she explains.
Maggi believes progress will accelerate when allyship extends across genders, with more men actively sponsoring and mentoring women in leadership pathways. Her advice to young women entering traditionally male-dominated sectors is direct: “Go for it. Do not doubt your capability for one second. Your unique perspective is a future force.”

Divita’s transformation journey has centred on confidence and ownership. Early in her career, she often hesitated to step forward. Over time, leading project elements, engaging with clients and coordinating teams strengthened her self-assurance.
“I have developed from someone who preferred to stay in the background to someone who actively puts up their hand for opportunities and takes ownership of outcomes,” she reflects. To her, #GiveToGain is rooted in shared advancement: “Promoting and supporting others does not diminish your own success, it enriches and strengthens it.”

Sisipho echoes this emphasis on collective growth. Working within a male-dominated engineering environment has required resilience and self-belief. “Over time, I have grown more comfortable taking up space, sharing my perspective and backing myself professionally,” she says.
Acknowledging those who supported her development, she adds: “I am where I am today because people took the time to guide, support and invest in me.” Her message to emerging professionals is clear: “Do not underestimate yourself or your perspective. You deserve to be in the room and your voice matters.”

Beyond individual journeys, AECOM’s broader commitment includes fostering inclusive project environments, supporting mentorship and leadership development, and encouraging employees and partners to actively challenge bias across the industry. Through initiatives such as Team Sibanye, the organisation’s Social Planning Committee, which coordinates office events and community outreach, and through sustained global collaboration, the company continues to embed the principles of #GiveToGain into daily practice.

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Author: Thobile Ndlovu from NGAGE on behalf of AECOM.

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