by Clair Mooney | 26 May, 2021 | Sustainability
This year, the UK government has partnered with business owners and respected climate groups to help businesses to cut carbon emissions and protect the planet. Whatever size your business, your commitment could make a real difference – to your business, to your customers, to your community, to the planet – and to your energy bills!
The UK government has created the UK Business Climate Hub, a campaign that asks UK small businesses of up to 250 employees to join the fight against climate change by committing to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
Top reasons to cut carbon emissions:
Grow your business
It can be hard to think as far as 2030 when we’re all building back from coronavirus. But cutting emissions can mean saving money and give you a competitive advantage today. You will also be able to display a logo to show your commitment, attracting the growing number of customers for whom climate change really matters.
Future-proof your business
The UK is changing. For example, by 2030 you won’t be able to buy new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the UK, while zero-emission vehicles could support 40,000 jobs. Getting ahead of other countries like this will create new opportunities here in the UK. Is your business ready?
Be part of the solution
We all want to create a better planet, but it can be hard to know where to start. Through this commitment, join other businesses, get tips, make a plan, and be confident that you are really making a difference.
Become one of thousands of small business climate leaders across the UK this year and commit today at the UK Business Climate Hub.
by Clair Mooney | 24 May, 2021 | Sustainability
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC)’s Net Zero workstream, CO2nstruct Zero is seeking views on how the industry should demonstrate progress on its collective Net Zero journey.
The findings will feed into the creation of a performance framework – a suite of metrics, targets, milestones and commitments – that the industry can use to measure impact and understand when and where further action needs to be taken.
The overarching framework will amplify many of the goals and initiatives already shared in this space, and ensure industry speaks in a single and unified voice.
Commenting on the survey’s launch, Andrew Griffith MP, the UK’s Net Zero business champion, said:
“The construction industry has a vital role to play in achieving society’s Net Zero ambitions and how we measure its progress will be vital to, not only meeting our targets, but ensuring we bring all businesses – large and small – on the journey.”
Andy Mitchell, co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), said:
“A comprehensive and cohesive approach to measuring Net Zero progress is the foundation for so much more. Most importantly, it will ensure industry can be both challenged and praised. I’d urge all organisations and business groups working in our sector to complete the survey today and help us shape a Net Zero future.”
A copy of the metrics framework is available here.
A spreadsheet has been prepared by the CLC to allow you to comment on the proposed metrics.
Respondants are asked to provide your feedback on the four questions for each metric that you wish to comment on in the relevant box. A spreadsheet has been developed to help structure response here.
Please send your responses to iainmcilwee@thefis.org or call Iain on 07792 959 481 to discuss options and possibilities. Feedback is required by Wednesday 9 June.
by Clair Mooney | 21 May, 2021 | Membership, Sustainability, Technical
This year already seems to be disappearing at pace and whilst COVID-19 is thankfully starting to dominate less, we are now looking at material and labour shortages and cash tightening. But beyond the immediate pressures, a positive is that conversations are intensifying around change – transformation driven by core values of quality and sustainability.
At FIS we are keen to support this change, frankly it is why we exist – we are owned, effectively as a co-operative, by our community to help make the market better for you and get our members specified on jobs. In this work we are constantly asking ourselves and using our network to interrogate:
- How can we help YOU today? By producing toolkits, factsheets, guides, honing advice, helping you secure funding etc
- How can WE be better tomorrow by working together as a community and being more than the sum of our parts? Sharing, consolidating, research, standardising, benchmarking, finding economies of scale etc
- How can THEY help us? How do we need to INFLUENCE the world around us to ensure success? Research, engagement, best practice, respect, lobbying, representation, negotiation and communication (key to this is showing we have the support of our industry, effectively researched and backed up views and being present when the debate happens)
To this end and off the back of a growing and increasingly engaged membership, our Board have decided to invest in two new roles. The first focussed on the vetting and technical support provided by FIS and the second to look at the opportunity that the net zero and wider sustainability work presents in terms of driving early engagement and improving the reputation of the sector as a whole and specifically our membership as value driven businesses and leaders. This second role is on a contingent basis initially, but we hope with continued growth and support we will be able to develop the individual and the role into a permanent role. Initially we would be prepared to consider secondment options to test and support our views about the ongoing requirement.
Both of these roles will help us to develop resource and add to the collective wisdom – helping us not just to do, but to have the time to listen and improve our understanding of our community and ultimately the customers of our sector and will crucially adds weight to our ability to influence.
Please do share an pass on details to help FIS better support you. Together we are stronger.
by Clair Mooney | 20 May, 2021 | Fairness, Inclusivity and Respect (FIR), Main News Feed, Sustainability
A half day Women in Construction event, hosted by the Department for International Trade Sweden, will be taking place on Wedneday 26 May to facilitate knowledge exchange, stimulate ideas and give UK and Swedish stakeholders’ insight into the two markets.
Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol will be a keynote speaker at the event, which will feature panel discussions with stakeholders from the UK and Sweden. Attendance at the virtual event is free and you can register online here.
A range of speakers, from the private sector, civil society and other organisations, will offer their perspectives on the markets, both in the UK and in Sweden. Together, the panellists will discuss their experiences and the challenges they face as women in their professions, in the office and on site. The speakers, from both Sweden and the UK, will give their unique insights into the differences and similarities in the two markets.
by Clair Mooney | 14 May, 2021 | Main News Feed, Sustainability, Transformation
FIS has this week launched a new Sustainability Toolkit to help the sector to take a pro-active lead as a supply chain in supporting the UK ambition and meeting legal requirements linked to UK Net Zero carbon commitments, but also to look more broadly at the ethical and environmental aspects of sustainability.
In June 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. With the The (Conference of the Parties) COP26 Summit taking place in the UK in November 2021, this year has been designated “The UK’s year or Climate Action”. With Construction accounting for 40% of UK Carbon Consumption, the construction industry is critical to supporting this commitment. In turn the Finishes and Interiors Sector representing around 11% of UK Construction and decisions and processes associated with the fit-out and finishing of buildings is estimated to account for 40% of energy in a building and hence has a big part to play in realising change. A recent manifesto published by Perkins & Will sets down a clear strategy to moving to zero carbon and identifies that the built environment is responsible for 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint and within this fit-out is responsible for 40% of energy in a building. A key figure to target improvement identified in this report is that 300 tonnes of fit-out material goes to landfill every day.
The Sustainability Toolkit is the first output of a new Sustainability Working Group (which is being developed in partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School) has been established within the FIS community to help inform activity and provide a platform to encourage collaboration through the FIS and with wider industry initiatives. The plan is to use this group of experts to set down a clear action plan for the sector and highlight key strategic relationships that can be developed through the FIS to support transformation. Initially focus is in 5 core areas:
- Increasing knowledge and understanding within the supply chain
- Setting targets and standardisation (including monitoring and measuring impact)
- Providing an active network and encouraging collaboration
- Highlighting individuals and approaches that help inspire and inform change
- Informing design and encouraging better asset management
FIS Chief Executive Iain McIlwee stated:
“Whilst many have not been hit by the full force of the Net Zero tidal wave that seems to be heading our way, it is absolutely dominating discussions around the transformation of construction. When you step back and look at the principles of sustainability, they sit very closely to everything FIS stands for. Beyond the obvious environmental considerations, the ingredients of change are value led change, resource efficiency, innovation and harnessing technology, productivity, quality, collaboration and ultimately early engagement and dialogue up and down the supply chain. We are really grateful to the members who have got stuck in to date and look forward to exploring the full potential of the race to Net Zero and a focus on fairness and inclusivity that will be a key to transforming our supply chain for the better”.
The FIS Sustainability Toolkit is available here
If you are interested in joining the working group or simply seeing the draft action plan email info@thefis.org or call FIS on 0121 707 0077
Next meeting of the FIS Sustainability Working Group is set for 3pm on the 27th May – the meeting will be virtual. If interested in attending, email info@thefis.org
by Clair Mooney | 11 May, 2021 | Sustainability
Speaking at today’s virtual Business 7 Summit (or ‘B7’), which welcomes around 60 CEO’s from leading UK and global companies across the G7 countries, and feeds into the G7 Summit programme, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, recognised the construction industry’s contribution to achieving Net Zero.
In remarks to the concluding session, which aimed to identify how government and business can work together to address global challenges in climate, digital and health, the Secretary of State set out his priorities and views on business leadership, highlighting that over 58 UK construction businesses have already signed-up to Race to Zero, including firms such as Lendlease and Multiplex.
The Secretary of State also highlighted the UK’s leading consultancy businesses working in the built environment, who have today collectively committed to offering ambitious design options and advice that are fully compatible with Net Zero outcomes to their clients. This means that the expert advice received by financiers, asset owners and operators will now be encouraging, and actively driving towards, ambitious Net Zero choices.
These firms are respected around the globe for their expertise and include AECOM, Arcadis, Arup, Atkins, Buro Happold, Jacobs, Mott MacDonald, Mace, Turner & Townsend and WSP.
Kwasi Kwarteng said: “The UK’s construction and engineering industries are leading the world in the drive to cut emissions, and I am thrilled to see so many businesses from all over the globe share this ambition.
“As we build back better, the commitments made at this summit will support the construction industry to make this essential low carbon transition and I look forward to working closely with the sector and the Construction Leadership Council on this journey.”
iain McIlwee, FIS Chief Executive said: “Net Zero is fast emerging as the most talked about subject in construction, rightly driven by an understanding we need to be better and a Build Back Greener mindset from Government. Beyond growing understanding of environmental impact, we are living through a time when material supply is short and global supply chains fractured – we are being forced to confront and consider carefully everything we use, make sure we avoid waste by getting it right first time and ultimately how we can reuse and reinvent to prevent waste.
Recognition from the Secretary of State in terms of the work done so far is encouraging and I am encouraged by the CO2nstruct Zero work of the CLC, but to hit the targets being talked about we need a monumental supply chain shift in terms of the way we design, procure, construct and manage buildings.
For me Net Zero starts, as with every element of improvement in construction, with early engagement and genuine attempts to manage risk through collaboration. Let’s be clear being unsustainable is another risk, one that crystalises when the supply chain is not engaged with and informing the design, site planning and communicates effectively about how we can be better together, rather than simply contractualises the problem. Our new sustainability working group is focussing on five key areas; informing design, encouraging better material and asset management, increasing knowledge and understanding within the supply chain, setting targets and standardisation in monitoring and measuring, providing a collaborative support network and highlighting individuals and approaches that help inspire and inform change. As a first step we have updated our Sustainability Toolkit and we are calling on any member interested in supporting us in this work to join our new working group.”
You can access the upgraded FIS Sustainability Toolkit here
Hannah Vickers, chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) and CO2nstructZero lead at the CLC said: “I’m delighted to see ACE members among those demonstrating the leadership required if our industry is to play its part in helping society to meet its ambitious Net Zero targets.
“The UK’s leading global consultancy businesses are well advanced in achieving Net Zero on their direct emissions. In order to deliver significant reductions to society’s carbon emissions, these firms are now also committing to proactively shaping their clients’ decisions and approach. This means that more projects will start out with Net Zero at their core, delivering a positive knock-on effect along the entire construction supply chain.”
