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Month: February 2023

The Supply Chain Sustainability School has partnered with the FIS (Finishes and Interiors Sector) to support their mission of bringing the interiors and finishes supply chain together to be a driving force for change.

In collaboration with the FIS Sustainability Leadership Group, the School has developed a bespoke learning pathway for their members and internal colleagues: ‘FIS Sustainability Awareness: Doing Business Better‘.

This learning pathway aims to demystify sustainability by clarifying some of the language associated with various sustainability issues, such as sustainability strategy, waste management, net zero, circular economy, well-being, modern slavery, fairness, inclusion and respect and social value. Two optional resources are also included in the pathway, covering science-based targets and embodied carbon.

Flavie Lowres, FIS Sustainability Champion, commented: “I am really excited about this course; as it takes only 20 minutes to complete and I hope it will allow all members of an organisation to upskill on some of the important sustainability topics”.

Access the pathway here.

Learn more about our learning pathways here.

The Supply Chain Sustainability School have launched new maturity guidance to support you to sign up to the People Matter Charter.

This guidance will help you:

  • Evaluate your organisation’s maturity against the eight commitments in the People Matter Charter
  • Understand what best practice looks like for each of these eight commitments
  • Develop and progress your workforce strategy
  • Complete the confidential People assessment in the School as accurately as possible.

Completion of the People assessment is a required step for organisations who wish to become a signatory of the People Matter Charter.

Think of this guidance as a sense checking tool to help you understand which of the five levels of the People assessment best reflect your progress to date, against each of the eight commitments. This guidance includes examples of the types of evidence that would support your claim to be at, for example, ‘advanced working practice’ level for a specific commitment. This is to help you check that your response is accurate and realistic. This guidance is not designed to be used for audits.

Access the guidance >

Balfour Beatty’s Group Sustainability Director, Jo Gilroy, has been appointed to the Board of the industry-leading Supply Chain Sustainability School. 

The Supply Chain Sustainability School seeks to upskill those working within, or aspiring to work within, the built environment sector. Jo, who has worked at Balfour Beatty since April 2022, was recently elected to govern alongside eight other Partner representatives responsible for the fiscal governance and strategic direction of the School, including; Wilmott Dixon, EMCOR UK, Morgan Sindall Group, Speedy Services, VINCI Facilities, Skanska, Laing O’Rourke and National Highways.  

Jo commented: “With the climate change emergency becoming increasingly more urgent, it is integral that the construction and infrastructure industry pulls together in the same direction.  

“I am therefore delighted to have been appointed to the Board of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, as we continue our mission to upskill and educate our supply chain partners on what it means to be a truly sustainable business and ultimately, change our industry for the better and the future.”   

As Group Sustainability Director at Balfour Beatty, Jo provides focused leadership and advances the group’s achievements in this area, whilst bringing her breath of international experience from SAB Miller in India, IKEA in Sweden, and the mining sector in Australia and New Zealand. 

Prior to working at Balfour Beatty, Jo was responsible for Kier Group’s strategic direction on ESG and for leading Kier’s sustainability framework, ‘Building for a Sustainable World’. She has also worked closely with government and key customers in the hospitality and retail sectors to address ocean pollution from single use plastics. 

In recognition of her work within the corporate sector she was ‘Highly Commended’ at the 2021 Business Green Sustainability Leaders Awards, and previously won the Business Green Sustainability Executive award in 2017, and the Rising Star award 2016 at the Packaging Industry Awards.   

Shaun McCarthy OBE, Chair of Supply Chain Sustainability School, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Jo to the Board. Along with her energy and passion, she will bring significant experience from both within and outside the construction sector and will no doubt provide valuable contributions to drive our vision forward.” 

The School’s vision is an industry where everyone will have the skills and knowledge to deliver a sustainable future. In April 2022, the School was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development in recognition of the significant environmental, social, and economic benefits it has delivered to its Members and Partners.  

There are currently 155 Balfour Beatty employees who are active members of the Supply Chain Sustainability School. 

Jo Gilroy, Group Sustainability Director for Balfour Beatty

The Supply Chain Sustainability School has partnered with UK Construction Week (UKCW) to support the industry in being more sustainable.

With sets of common goals, the School and UKCW will strive to work towards a more sustainable built environment and provide innovative solutions for customers, both at the events and via the School’s free online learning platform – enabling members access to over 3,000 learning resources, 400 virtual training sessions each year, and a range of diagnostic and benchmarking tools to support companies on focusing their sustainability strategies.

Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director, commented: “UK Construction Week is delighted to be working with Supply Chain Sustainability School as an official show partner. This is a significant step up for their involvement in the show as we increase our focus on sustainability. We look forward to welcoming the School to UK Construction Week and hearing from their leadership team on best practices and how we can all work together towards a more sustainable future.”

UKCW is the UK’s largest event for the built environment, taking place at ExCeL London between 2-4 May 2023 with a second show at Birmingham’s NEC on 3-5 October 2023. This year’s theme is Celebrating Culture Change in Construction, whereby UKCW London will host three days of debate and discussion from top speakers on how the industry can move forward to tackle its biggest issues, including sustainability, offsite manufacturing, mental health, and improving diversity and inclusion.

Ian Heptonstall, Director of Supply Chain Sustainability School, commented: “We are thrilled to be working closely with UK Construction Week to drive real sustainable change within the industry and support their mission of improving inclusivity throughout the built environment.”

The School delivers the industry’s leading Fairness, Inclusion & Respect programme and will share free resources and training sessions with delegates.

School Members are offered free VIP tickets to the events, whereby they can attend a busy programme of high-profile thought leadership panels, hosting experts from Supply Chain Sustainability School: Shaun McCarthy OBE; Dr James Cadman, Helen Carter and more.

VIP registration for UKCW London is now live. Register your team for FREE VIP tickets at https://ukcw-london-2023.reg.buzz/vip-supply-chain-school or if you have any further questions, please get in touch with the organisers via [email protected]

Liban Ahmed is our Business Administration Apprentice, working across the Supply Chain Sustainability School and our Sustainability Tool since April 2022. For National Apprenticeship Week, we invited him to share his story and experience with apprenticeships.

Tell us your story – why did you decide to embark on a Business Administration Apprenticeship?

Before I dive into why I decided to embark on this journey, let me give you a little background about myself. Although I don’t mind traditional approaches to education, which involve learning a lot of theory about a subject, trying to remember it and taking examinations, I find apprenticeships a far more exciting way to learn. If you are a practical person like me, it is a great opportunity to test your knowledge in a real-world setting. That was what sold me on the apprenticeship model of education.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I’m constantly busy and never have a dull moment! My tasks include:

  • Ensuring the business runs smoothly by offering administration support to the three key areas of the business
  • Making sure to provide excellent customer service and experience to members of the Supply Chain Sustainability School and clients
  • Applying what I learn in my apprenticeship modules to tasks at Action Sustainability
  • Helping the marketing team with marketing operations by trying to push our reach and awareness of our organisation

What do you think is the advantage of doing an apprenticeship?

There are several advantages to doing an apprenticeship. One of the biggest advantages, in my opinion, is the opportunity to learn on the job and gain real-world experience. It’s such a valuable way to learn and grow, as you get to apply what you learn in class to practical situations and vice versa. Additionally, apprenticeships allow you to earn while you learn and provide a great introduction to being a part of the workforce.

Another advantage is finding an organisation like Action Sustainability that is invested in your professional development and willing to help you improve your skillset. You always feel like you are an asset.

How has the apprenticeship helped develop your career?

Since embarking on my apprenticeship module focused on data, I have found that it serves as a great introduction to the roles of data analyst or data scientist, which I aspire to pursue as a career.

My Business Administration apprenticeship offers me the opportunity to build my skills from the ground up, working on exciting and meaningful projects that allow me to hone them.

Not only does my apprenticeship allow me to make a difference within my organisation by making sense of our data and delivering value in our offerings to clients, but it also provides me with the opportunity to build up a portfolio of projects that will be incredibly useful later in my career. This portfolio allows me to document all the amazing work that I am doing and showcase my abilities to potential employers.

What would your advice be to people applying?

If you’re considering applying for an apprenticeship, my advice to you is to do your research and find a program that aligns with your career goals. Don’t be afraid to reach out to current or former apprentices to get their perspective and ask any questions you may have.

If you’re not sure where to start, consider working with a reputable provider like Multiverse. They’ve been incredibly supportive of me, and they will ensure you succeed as long as you show up and do the work. Do not let a rejection set you back or, even worse, stop you from applying. Somebody will spot your value and give you an opportunity, so don’t give up.

What do you think is the best thing about working for Action Sustainability?

For me, the best thing about working for Action Sustainability is doing meaningful work. Imagine that your work is making a real-world impact and being able to be part of an organisation which is a thought leader in sustainability and the drive to net zero.

But that’s not all – the team culture here is so friendly and supportive, and I feel valued as an employee. I have the opportunity to communicate, collaborate, and work alongside everyone due to Action Sustainability’s organisation structure and size. I get to interact with senior leadership in a way that I wouldn’t at bigger companies. Plus, the fact that Action Sustainability pays the real living wage is a huge incentive to work hard and progress in my career with the company.

Summary 

In conclusion, pursuing an apprenticeship has been a fantastic decision for me. It’s allowed me to gain real-world experience, earn while I learn, and be a part of an organisation that values my professional development and supports my growth.

If you’re considering an apprenticeship, don’t hesitate to take the plunge. Just make sure to do your research, reach out to current or former apprentices for advice, and consider working with a reputable provider like Multiverse. And if you’re lucky enough to land an apprenticeship with a company like Action Sustainability, you’ll get to do meaningful work and be a part of a supportive team culture.

I hope my story and insights on apprenticeships have been helpful. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me!

Explore careers with our delivery partner, Action Sustainability

The Sustainability Tool, in partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) Programme, has carried out the largest-ever employee diversity survey in the UK, covering nearly 340,000 individuals.

Providing an in-depth record of diversity data, the survey tool has been tracking progress in the construction and utilities sector annually since 2016, with 2022 being the first-year companies reported pay gap data.

Employee data across 270 supply chains of eight major companies and two membership organisations was collected and analysed, including: HS2, National Highways, Network Rail, Transport for London, Environment Agency, Morgan Sindall, VolkerWessels, Cadent Gas, Infrastructure Client Group, and the Major Projects Association. This reflects a 206% increase in companies participating compared to 2021, in part due to a significant rise in contributions from SMEs (small and medium enterprises).

David O’Neil, Supply Chain Director at National Highways, said: “It’s positive to see the progress being made and the growth in engagement throughout the supply chain. The results are becoming even more significant and representative. This has provided us with many themes/trends which, as a sector, we can use to connect leading practices and focus activity in collaboration with Highways Suppliers.”

Results

Despite increased engagement levels and sample size, diversity inequalities remain apparent (as notably highlighted by the attraction and recruitment statistics). Key takeaways from the 2022 survey include:

  • Gender: inequality persists, with women making up only 23% of employees
  • Ethnicity: representation of ethnic minority groups increased to 13.7% for 2022, but ethnic minorities representation was still 5% below the ONS UK population average
  • Attraction and Recruitment: the application to hiring ratio ranged between 21:1 to 78:1 for Ethnic minority groups, 16:1 for white applicants, 16:1 for women, 22:1 for men and 22:1 for disabled people.
  • Disability: the lack of data collection around disability persists, with 44.5% of employees not disclosing whether or not they have a disability
  • Sexual orientation: disclosure is progressively increasing across the sector, yet only 1.7% of employees identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community for the sector. While this is an increase over previous years, it is well below the ONS UK population average of 3.1%

The survey plays an integral role in supporting the transport and infrastructure sector on its mission to engage and raise awareness of diversity, equality, and inclusion, as well as to establish benchmarks and set targets for the industry to work toward.

Osita Madu, Senior Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Supply Chain at HS2, said: “The data shows the true picture of the built environment sectors and shines a light on those who offer symbolic gestures but, in fact, resist change. It showcases those who are having courageous conversations and evolving inclusive organisations. We can compare the data year on year to identify what progress has been made and which areas we should focus on.”

The FIR Programme

The survey continues to be complemented by FIR Programme activities. Funded by CITB and run by the Supply Chain Sustainability School, the FIR Programme is an industry-wide initiative that aims to make workplaces better for everyone. It provides free industry-endorsed training, workshops, resources and guidance materials along with a tailored Ambassador program and other initiatives to support businesses to be more innovative and profitable by addressing workplace culture challenges and helping to attract and retain people.

Paul Aldridge, Sustainability Director at WJ Group, said: “This annual exercise gives us an insight into our industry. It can shock and inspire and gives us an understanding of what we need to improve, helping build the FIR programme now and for the future. The constant improvement in participation is, in itself, a cause for great optimism that we can create an industry that is truly inclusive, where everyone is treated with fairness, inclusion and respect as a matter of course and can bring their whole selves to work.”

How to participate

The survey will re-open in Spring 2023, whereby all organisations working in the sector can participate.

Supply chain organisations are invited to anonymously report their employee data voluntarily within the Sustainability Tool, with categories including Gender, Age, Religion & Belief, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Disability, Voluntary Leavers, Part-Time Status, Pay Gap, and Attraction & Recruitment.

Respondents have free access to in-depth and interactive dashboards that compare their employee base with the sector’s and the ONS UK population statistics.

The Diversity Survey is also available for usage across other industries, whilst the Sustainability Tool can help businesses report and manage sustainability performance across more than just diversity, whether within an organisation, its projects, contracts and supply chain. Organisations wishing to use the Diversity Survey or wider Sustainability Tool within their own supply chain should contact [email protected].

Access the full Diversity Survey 2022 results here.