Larger Contractor

Social Sustainability Toolkit more information here

Guidance for Completing a Pre Tender Questionnaire - follow this link to a guide produced by Bristol City Council

Construction Products Association Low Carbon Domestic Refurbishment Guide - An Introduction and Technical Information to Low Carbon Domestic Refurbishment

Provides information on how changes in the cost and lifespan of various improvement measures affect the payback period in both financial and carbon terms. Click here

UWE Built and Natural Environment internet TV service

This exciting new service makes available free-to-watch online videos, including interviews on topics such as: changing procurement strategies, low carbon social housing, corporate social responsibility and much more. See for yourself here

Keeping your company at the forefront of best practice

You will find this website keeps you aligned with the ever changing best practice agenda. Many clients expect contractors to demonstrate that they can contribute value in terms of CSR, Innovation, Health and Safety, environmental and sustainable best practice. This website represents one of the most wide-ranging best practice portals and will help you keep abreast of the fast-developing agenda in areas such as sustainable communities, whole life carbon and health and safety. Our initiatives are often viewed as pioneering from a national perspective and yet they are embedded in the regional marketplace linking in with regional initiatives county by county. You can keep your key members of staff linked in via our ‘e’ newsletter sign up. And effectively become a partner in change.

Your Case Studies

We welcome case studies that meet good practice criteria* and which can then be held on our web based location for reference by others in the region and beyond.

*See the Case studies area for a definition

Join the Club

For a relatively small fee you can join a local Constructing Excellence Best Practice Club which will allow you to network in good practice as well as demonstrate your commitment. See the home page for details of your local clubs and sustainable construction initiatives.

Improving your service and keeping your customers

Sidona Logo

It may prove more cost effective to ensure you keep and build healthy relationships with your current customers rather than lose them and have to find yet more turnover.

Where we see examples of groups pushing the boundaries of best practice then we will, in some cases, work in a special partnership with the organisation concerned to boost uptake of good practice. Such an example is the joint workshops we are currently undertaking with Sidona Group who we believe have a much needed new perspective on customer service and who are already working with a number of larger regional construction companies. We are facilitating a number of one day low cost appreciation workshops. Book your place here

Training of the supply chain

Health and Safety

A number of the larger construction companies working in the South West are now quoting the CHAS scheme as a minimum standard of compliance and of course there are a range of other schemes. The Safety Schemes in Procurement is now working to achieve mutual recognition arrangements for the various schemes available. See www.ssip.org.uk for further details. (Note: such action was a key recommendation of the Donaghy Report – the enquiry into the underlying causes of construction fatal accidents, June 2009.)

CESW has developed a one-day course for Health and Safety Awareness – linked to the CHAS scheme. This will help your supply chain to achieve CHAS should you wish to encourage or require compliance to that scheme. We can deliver this in partnership with you at highly competitive rates.

CESW and Future Foundations in partnership with many others in the region are working to get basic understanding and compliance in the supply chain and we can help you train your supply chain where necessary with one day courses.
Note: these courses also fulfill BSI standard requirements for ‘general awareness’ for some categories of your own staff.

Sustainable Construction

The Future Foundations team has developed a one-day sustainable awareness course – initially targeting the smaller contractor – which includes waste and environmental management to reflect BSI supply chain training requirements on environmental issues.

Resource Efficiency

Whatever your core business activity you need to:

reduce your carbon emissions and your waste
reduce energy costs
stay up-to-date with a range of existing and forthcoming legislation
access tools and help – much of it for free
build a company reputation for being sensitive and proactive in addressing carbon and climate change

Go to our Future Foundations Resource Efficiency page for links to helpful initiatives – some for example offering free services in calculating your carbon footprint (The Carbon Trust ) or the (Defra) Small Business Guide on how to measure and report your greenhouse gas emissions.

Business skills

We have developed a one-day business skills course which you may like to use to develop the skills of your supply chain – possibly an opportunity for a joint workshop and training with your own staff to build relationships and improve understanding in partnership
The course is a VRQ level 2 which is directly related to the longer 30 hour VRQ level 3 – a 30 hour course sometimes known as the European Business Competence Licence. We can deliver this in partnership with you at highly competitive rates.

Business Opportunities in the Renewable Sector

REGEN South West provide information and training for construction-related businesses wishing to become involved with this agenda - Visit www.regensw.org.uk

www.cskills.org

We are the Sector Skills Counciland Industry Training Board for the construction industry, working to deliver a safe, professional and fully qualified UK construction workforce.
We work with construction companies to help them improve skills to increase their competitive edge.

Business Link

Businesslink.gov.uk helps your business save time and money by giving you instant access to clear, simple, and trustworthy information.

It is developed in partnership with subject experts within government and relevant business-support organisations to help you comply with regulations and improve your performance.

Whether you're starting up, already running a business, or looking to grow and develop, we can help you:

manage your finances
employ people
find and keep customers
pay the correct tax
comply with environmental legislation
trade internationally
understand regulations in your sector
find events and support near you

What we can do for you

Our Business Start-up Organiserwill help you to create and manage a personalised list of tasks to assist you when setting up your business. Or search our Grants and Support Directory to pinpoint potential sources of help.

If you're already up and running, you can file your VAT and PAYE returns from our Do it onlinearea.

The interactive tools can take you step-by-step through activities like how to create a written statement of employment or assess how well your business is currently performing.

There are over 600 guides offering practical advice for businesses on all aspects of business.

Local advice and support

You can access local advice and support online, by phone and face-to-face from regional Business Link operators across England.

These services are funded by Regional Development Agencies, and supported by government departments, agencies and local authorities.

Business Link in the South West

Business Link in the South West
Great Western Business Centre, Emlyn Square, Swindon,?Wiltshire,?SN1 5BP
Tel:
0845 600 9966
Website: www.businesslink.gov.uk/southwest
Email: enquiry@businesslinksw.co.uk

The National Heritage Training Academy South West (NHTA SW) invites you to a complimentary lunch and informative Built Heritage event for building contractors at Woodchester Mansion, Gloucestershire on 10 November or 12 November 2009. Further details here.