With the General Election called for the 4^th July, FIS wasn’t caught on the hop – we have already set down our core manifesto A Blueprint for Better Construction looking at how policy can support better procurement and contracting and help to improve investment in skills, innovation and net zero.

We are also calling for profound change in the education system and apprenticeship process. Currently we are failing our employers and young people and met in recent weeks with colleagues from across the sector and the current Government and Shadow Teams to discuss labour shortages and dwindling apprenticeship numbers.

FIS is urging all members to contact their local candidates (you can find their details here) and challenge them on how their party will support a sector that enables growth, delivers sustainability and provides employment for one in ten people in the UK.

We hope our document helps you to form you arguments and please feel free to copy FIS in to any communications or contact us for any support you need in this process.

We’re excited to reveal the shortlist for the 2024 FIS Contractors Awards – which promote and encourage high levels of craftsmanship in the finishes and interiors sector.

The awards showcase the very best of our industry and after months of project visits, our judges have determined their shortlist.

To see who made the shortlist click here

The winners in each category, along with the architect or interior designer of the winning project, will be announced in front of a packed audience at the FIS Awards Lunch on 6 June at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. The event is now sold out. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for tickets, email clairmooney@thefis.org

The standard of entries into this year’s Contractors Awards was extremely high, so we would like to congratulate all companies that entered.

 

As the full implication of the Building Safety Act and it’s impact on the wider Building Regulatory environment and commercial behaviours, FIS has updated its Product Process People Risk Register.  The aim is to provide members with a comprehensive Risk Register to support compliance and business improvement.

The FIS PPP Risk Register gives people a structured framework to interrogate project risk based on a assessment of severity and probability of a risk occurring.  The standard scoring system helps members to identify any unacceptable high risks and ensure management strategies are put in place to address.  The tool also helps a management team to assign risk correctly and contains a range of links to additional tools and information that will help support specific risk management.

FIS CEO Iain McIlwee said:

“Risk is inescapable in any construction project, but at times we can feel so beset by risk that we become indifferent to it.  It is vital that as an industry we get better at measuring, managing and mitigating.

A large part of our work centres on identifying, interrogating and helping members to manage day to day problems they may encounter.  Our understanding and exposure to risk is constantly moving and evolving and it is critical we adopt a consistent approach to risk management.

This simple tool is built on collective wisdom, lessons learned and understanding gained through our wider work that ensures members are alert to where problems may appear.  It aims to help people to score and priorise risks and to start the necessary focus on mitigation, linking the user to the vast array of tools available to our members, directly through the FIS and our wider network.  The underlying principle is that the school of hard knocks is fine, but it is better to learn together and avoid learning the hard way wherever possible.”

Richard Brackstone Chief Executive of RB Management and Consulting Ltd who supported FIS in this update added:

“This is a really useful tool and one I would urge all members to work through, it is comprehensive and accessible.  Construction is fast and furious and risk is all around us, and it is tempting to bury our heads in the sand and hope for the best.  But, ultimately, success in construction is entirely dependent on how well we manage that inherent risk.  This list provides a focal point to conduct a review and at the very least serves as a helpful reminder”.

The FIS PPP Risk Register is available for members to download here

RB Management and Consulting Limited provide specialist Risk Management Support for FIS Members

Staying updated on FIS activities can be challenging. Consider enabling notifications on LinkedIn for FIS content to receive updates about important industry issues that affect your business and related FIS guidance, as well as notifications, member benefits, our events and other activities.

To help us to stand out in the noise that is social media, have you considered enabling notifications on your LinkedIn account for FIS content? We understand if you prefer not to receive frequent updates, and we assure you that we limit our posts to three times a day (excluding award announcements) to avoid overwhelming you. By doing this, you can stay informed about award opportunities, upcoming events, and ways to contribute to your trade association’s direction.

Simply click on the bell icon at the top right of our LinkedIn page and select your preferred notification settings.

Are you an FIS member? Access your TradePoint card here