BUILDING A SAFER FUTURE ANNOUNCES THIRD TRANCHE OF COMPANIES TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE FIRST CHAMPION ASSESSMENT MODULE

Building a Safer Future has announced the third group of organisations to be awarded its Certificate of Commitment and Progress – Building Safety Stage One: Leadership and Culture, having completed Stage 1 in its building safety assessment scheme.

The BSF Champion process gives organisations detailed insight into their existing leadership and culture around building safety and equips them with actionable data and practical tools to help review and upgrade processes and regain public trust following the Grenfell Tower disaster.

VINCI Building, Langley UK and Abri Group make up the diverse third tranche of companies who have committed to putting their building users and residents first in an ongoing building safety journey. VINCI Building is a main contractor focusing on civil engineering and construction projects, Langley is a roofing and waterproofing designer, supplier and contractor who also take on rooftop development projects, and Abri is a not-for-profit housing association with 40,000 homes based in the south of England.

Ian Hopwood, Head of Safety, Health and Environment at Langley, commented: “We are delighted to have completed stage one of the champion process. We have always believed that Langley has solid foundations for safety, leadership and culture; this process has validated that and, more importantly, has highlighted key areas for continuous improvement. The Building Safer Future Champion process has been an incredible, worthwhile journey for us. As we stand now, well into stage two, we cannot wait to become a complete champion and start driving our sector forward from the front regarding design and building safety.”

Mark Sayer, Director of Safety and Resilience at Abri, commented: “Abri is delighted to have achieved stage 1 of the Building a Safer Future Champions assessment, demonstrating our commitment to building safety. Completing the leadership and culture module has helped us to raise the profile of building safety across our organisation, and at the same time has given us a valuable insight into our business which we’ll use to establish a continuous improvement plan to promote culture change, and to help improve building safety for all those living and working in our properties. The safety of our customers and colleagues is our highest priority and we can now look forward to completing stage 2 and achieving full Champion status, to further demonstrate our commitment to being a sector leader in building safety.”

John Roberts, Managing Director of VINCI Building, commented: “VINCI Building is delighted to be awarded the leadership and culture certificate, we often reflect on our culture and ask ‘are we getting it right?’ This certificate demonstrates we are working in the right direction but as is the case for all businesses we have some lessons to learn and adopt. Our industry is going through a period of significant change meeting the demands of our client base and this certificate helps independently demonstrate our commitment to meet the challenges before us.”

Gary Townsend-Vila, Interim Chief Executive of Building a Safer Future, commented: “It’s great to see this third group of companies completing Stage 1 of the Champions assessment. Companies that undertake this process are recognised as leaders in the industry, and those that reach this milestone should be very proud of their achievements so far. I wish them well in their ongoing journey through Stage 2.”

Steve Elliott, Non-Executive Chair of Building a Safer Future, commented: “We are delighted that VINCI Building, Langley and Abri have achieved the Stage 1 certificate and are reaping the rewards of BSF’s in-depth evaluation of their building safety leadership and culture. This independent assessment gives organisations invaluable insight into their policies and processes, enabling them to embark on a journey of continuous improvement. We would urge more companies to follow their excellent example and sign up for the Champions process.”

Companies that go on to successfully complete the second module (Corroborating Elements) to the required minimum standard will be awarded full Building a Safer Future Champion status.

Building a Safer Future (BSF) is a non-profit organisation committed to raising standards in building safety and to support required culture change in the built environment industry.

Companies can apply to participate in the BSF Champions programme by visiting the Building a Safer Future website on www.buildingasaferfuture.org.uk and completing the application form*, or alternatively they can email [email protected]

* Although BSF is a non-profit organisation, there are fees to cover the assessment and administration costs. These fees are based on the size (turnover) of the organisation. The fees cover two years of Champion status. Companies can access fee details here: Fees – Building a Safer Future

Notes to editors

Building a Safer Future Champion Stage 1 completers so far include the following organisations: