Michelmersh is proud to announce that, in October 2020, the Group became the first brick manufacturer to partner with the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS). The school is a collaboration of major UK contractors, suppliers and clients who share a mutual interest in building skills and providing a free learning environment and training to upskill those working within, or aspiring to work within, the built environment sector.
Launched in 2012, the SCSS was the first school of its kind in the country, offering a free membership (paid for by partners) to give access to thousands of learning resources and CPD-accredited content, covering a wealth of topics from waste and carbon to fairness, inclusion and respect, the Modern Slavery Act, biodiversity and many more sustainability issues. Focusing on seventeen key areas of sustainability, as well as addressing topics including offsite, digital, procurement, lean construction and management, the school also offers fantastic networking opportunities.
The SCSS is for anybody working in the Construction, FM, Homes and Infrastructure sectors in England, Scotland and Wales. Partners include clients, major contractors and key suppliers who sit alongside a group of forward-thinking supply chain members, all with one mission: to deliver more efficient and sustainable projects. Currently, they collectively form and chair market and trade category groups which drive the direction, delivery and focus of the School.
Partners lead and drive the direction of the school, ensuring that a tailored, supply chain support approach can be delivered across the industry. As a partner, one of the first steps Michelmersh has taken is to create a bespoke learning pathway to educate its employees in the key areas of sustainability integral to its responsibilities as a brick manufacturer. In turn, this will improve competitiveness, increase efficiency and overall contract success, and enable Michelmersh to collaborate closely with integral suppliers and influential housebuilders.
Other benefits to the SCSS include the smart self-assessment and action planning tool which covers five main topics: sustainability, management, offsite, BIM and lean construction. Under each of these fundamental elements sits a network of sub-topics such as waste and resource efficiency, innovation and design for manufacture and assembly. This approach provides a wealth of educational material to support suppliers as they embark on their sustainable journey, developing an action plan tailored to their current level of competence whilst highlighting the significant sustainable impacts in their trade. These action plans are then re-assessed and updated to invoke a process of continuous improvement.
Frank Hanna, Joint Chief Executive Officer of Michelmersh, commented, “As a British manufacturer recognised for its technical expertise, customer service and strong commitment to sustainability, we take our obligation as a responsible corporate citizen seriously, protecting the environment, our employees and, importantly, supporting local communities. Being the first brick manufacturer to join the Sustainability School demonstrates our dedication to continuously strive towards positive change, building a sustainable future for many generations to come.”
As the UK’s leading supplier engagement sustainability tool with multi award-winning initiatives, Michelmersh is a proud partner of SCSS, continuing its commitment to lead the industry towards an innovative, sustainable future.
