Our
Story
Get to Know Us
Emerge Leadership UK CIC was founded in Birmingham with a clear purpose: to empower individuals and organisations to lead with confidence, courage, and conviction.
Over more than a decade, we have grown from award-winning mentoring programmes supporting young people in schools across Birmingham, into a nationally recognised organisation working at the heart of the UK construction and built environment sector.
Today, our work spans four interconnected areas: the Building the Future Awards, the annual Construction Summit and Careers Fair, the Building the Future Mentoring Programme, and leadership training for organisations across sectors. Each strand is united by the same conviction -- that great leadership changes lives, and that young people deserve the opportunity to be seen, celebrated, and supported.
Emerge Leadership UK CIC is registered in England and Wales. Company Number: 07426448. VAT Number: 464390773.
Our Mission: To empower emerging leaders and young professionals through transformative programmes that bridge education, industry, and opportunity -- creating lasting impact for individuals, organisations, and communities.
Our Vision: A future where every young person has access to the mentorship, recognition, and development they need to lead with purpose and build something that matters.
Founder Story
Professor Errol Lawson is the Founder and Chief Executive of Emerge Leadership UK CIC and the founder of the Building the Future Awards.
Errol holds an Honorary Professorship in Leadership, Youth Engagement and Community Impact from University College Birmingham, a Master's degree in Enterprise Management, and a Level 7 qualification in Strategic Leadership. He is a nine-time author and a two-time Amazon bestseller, with books covering leadership, personal development, and careers in construction.
An award-winning entrepreneur and international keynote speaker, Errol has worked with organisations across healthcare, education, construction, and the public sector. His own story -- from homelessness at 16 to nationally recognised leader -- sits at the heart of everything he does.
Under his leadership, the Building the Future Awards has grown from an inaugural event in 2023 to one of the UK's most respected industry recognition programmes, attended by more than 600 professionals, educators, and policymakers annually.
