Building a Safer Future Charter Launches with First ‘Charter Champions’

THE Building a Safer Future (BSF) Charter has launched its ‘Charter Champion’ company initiative. The first 12 firms have signed up to driving the culture change needed to put building safety first.

BSF Charter Champion companies will use self-assessment, benchmarking and independent verification to identify potential issues. From this they will develop continuous improvement plans to advance their building safety leadership and culture. The process will help to identify ways they can reduce their building safety risk profile.

The first 12 companies include BAM, Galliford Try, Kier, Mace, mhs homes, Persimmon Homes, Places for People, Salix Homes, United Living, Vistry Group, Wates and Willmott Dixon.

The Building a Safer Future Charter consists of five commitments to protect life by putting safety first, ahead of all other building priorities. It was initiated by the Early Adopters Group as a first step towards spearheading the cultural and behavioural changes needed to achieve a safer building system. It has already gained over 150 registered signatories from across the built environment.

The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) was appointed as the Charter’s Administrative Partner by the Early Adopters. The CCS has established Building a Safer Future Ltd as a not-for-profit company with its own independent chair and board.  Building a Safer Future Ltd developed and manages the Building a Safer Future Charter.

Building a Safer Future Charter

Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety clearly identified failure of leadership and culture as key underlying causes of the Grenfell Tower disaster. The ‘Building a Safer Future Charter’ was initiated in response by a group of early adopters including contractors, housing associations and local authorities supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) with a vision of having an industry committed to putting people’s safety first.

The BSF Charter has been highlighted by Dame Judith Hackitt and the Industry Safety Steering Group (ISSG) as a key mechanism for leading the culture change required for industry in their report for the Secretary of State and the Minister for Building Safety published in August 2020.

The BSF Charter benchmarking and verification process is now open to all in the the construction industry. All UK organisations involved in the built environment can proactively participate and demonstrate their commitment to building safety by becoming Registered Signatories to the Charter. If appropriate, they can progress to undertaking the ‘Charter Champion’ benchmarking process. This is particularly the case for Duty Holders.

Lord Greenhalgh, Minister for Building Safety said: “We are taking firm action to ensure that we never repeat the mistakes of the past, with this charter representing a major step forwards in delivering much-needed culture change in the built environment industry.

“I warmly welcome its introduction and commend the 12 organisations already signed up to become ‘Charter Champions’.

“I would strongly encourage more to get involved, especially those who will be playing a key role in the future building safety regulatory regime.”

Dame Judith Hackitt DBE, Author, Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety said: “I have consistently called for the built environment sector to recognise the need for culture change which can only happen when leaders in the sector stand up and are prepared to demonstrate what good looks like and to be held to account for delivery. I look forward to watching the Charter Champions group grow as others see the benefits of becoming part of this important programme which offers a real market differentiation opportunity.”

The Building a Safer Future Charter is referenced in the publication “A Reformed Building Safety Regulatory System: Government response to the ‘Building a Safer Future’ consultation” published by the MHCLG in April 2020. The publication states that “the Government encourages duty-holders to be signatories and commit to the Building [a Safer Future] Charter” as part of a more rigorous approach to accountability.

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