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Autumn/Winter 2021 33 • A multi-language video and slides for inclusion in on-site induction. WORKING TOGETHER Pamela Zielinski, Construction Programme Manager, Stronger Together, said: “Imagine the unimaginable: You have been targeted and are now controlled by individuals who place little or no value on human life other than as a means to make money. You cannot voice the trauma and fear you experience on a daily basis perhaps because you can’t speak the language or simply because you fear being overheard by the wrong people. This hand signal may be your only chance.” Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at CITB, Kay Barnes, said it was a simple new method to help raise awareness of modern slavery and empower those affected by it. “We know from our own fraud investigations that modern slavery exists within construction, and we all need to work together to stamp it out,” she said. “We would encourage everyone to read and share the free Stronger Together resources on their website and play their part in tackling this issue.” The CIOB has been working to raise awareness of modern slavery in construction for several years and its Chief Executive Caroline Gumble said the campaign was a big step forward. “In the post-Brexit and post-pandemic period, there are many in construction with concerns that modern slavery may be on the increase so anything that might provide a route to support or safety for victims is to be welcomed. It’s also a useful opportunity to remind industry professionals of their role in helping to combat the problem and the signs of modern slavery to look out for,” she said. NEW FOUNDATIONS: ‘UNITED FRONT IS NEEDED’ Government and industrymustwork together to spur an improvement in constructionbuying habits if the industry is to successfully underpin the country’s long-termnet-zero and levelling-up, according to the recently- publishedCBI paperNewFoundations. It recognises the construction industry –whichhad already enduredmixed financial fortunes pre-Covid–has been ‘drastically andpermanently altered’ by the pandemic, and sees spiralling costs and labour shortages adding further pressures. But theCBI says anaccelerated rollout and enforcement of reforms outlined in the 2020ConstructionPlaybook can help ensure the sector remains robust. NewFoundations contains 17 recommendations for action, including: • Enhancing theCabinet Office’s ability to identify and act onbusinesses’ reports of poor procurement practices. • Using the upcomingComprehensive SpendingReviewto ensure rapid rollout of public sector construction trainingmaterials anddelivery. • Driving forward exemplarworks under Project Speed todemonstrate how Playbook guidance can shape successful end-to-end constructionprojects. • Requiring public sector contracting authorities to commit toworking alongside suppliers tomanage risksmore equitably. • Establishing a client leadership group to support the adoptionof Playbook behaviours throughout the private sector. • Setting out aPlaybookdelivery planat local authority level, including guidance onhowrules shoulddovetail with devolvedprocurement policies. The report also includes recommendations on sustainability and calls for Government to ensure clear, consistent targets and reporting standards to build confidence for the sector and its investors. Gregor Craig, Chair of the CBI Construction Council and President &CEO of Skanska UK, said: “The construction industry’s make-or-break role in building the foundations of a net-zero economy by 2050means wemust accelerate our response to the climate imperative. The impacts of the pandemic, new political priorities, and policy developments have created a period of disruption, and this change is the catalyst for permanent transformation in the industry’s business model – but we cannot do it alone. “New Foundations sets clear priorities for action, from rollout of comprehensive public sector training to implementation of procurement reform and collaboration with industry tomanage risk. But success relies on Government embedding the reforms detailed in the 2020 Construction Playbook at all levels – from the major departments and arms-length bodies, right through to local authorities.” CBI Chief Policy Director, Matthew Fell, agreed. “A thriving construction industry will be essential to the success of the UK in the coming decades, not just in hitting net- zero and levelling-up, but in developing a world-class built environment which is the foundation and the fabric of a modern, globally competitive and sustainable UK economy,” he said. “All of this is achievable and should be the common goal for Government and private enterprise. But it is only through financial stability and a secure operating environment that business investment will create the technologies, innovations and skills to drive the transformation needed, at the pace needed. The industry’s response to the coronavirus pandemic shows what is possible when a sector pulls together in the same direction.” << Photo by Ketut Subiyanto