Over the next six months big names in construction will be trying out the Value Toolkit on live projects, Ron Lang explains why it’s important
At a webinar hosted by Building last week, I was privileged to announce the beginning of a pivotal phase in the delivery of the landmark Value Toolkit, as we gave early implementers a chance to pilot this new approach that will drive better social, environmental, and economic outcomes from investment in the built environment.
Now, some of you reading this may be rolling your eyes at the use of words like ‘landmark’ or even ‘toolkit’ After all, isn’t our sector already awash with a plethora of tools and toolkits? Do we really need another one? We’ve certainly seen many noteworthy initiatives in recent years to drive much-needed change across a host of areas, from reducing our carbon footprint to modernising building methods, to how we deal with mental health.
More than 20 firms including Mace, Morgan Sindall and Mott MacDonald have signed up to the pilot phase of the government’s Value Toolkit, which aims to help clients make decisions based on the overall value that could be delivered by a construction project.
The toolkit, alongside the government’s Construction Playbook, is designed to encourage construction projects to deliver better environmental, social and economic outcomes. The initiative also aim to prompt public sector clients to see beyond the cheapest tender option when evaluating bids for new work.
Construction minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “Bringing together knowledge from over 200 experts from across government and industry, this toolkit will make it easier to determine the social and environmental benefits of the decisions made by firms in the construction sector, helping it continue its drive to cut emissions and build back better from the pandemic.”
It is essential that the business leaders of today shape new and higher standards, says Douglas Lamont, Innocent Drinks CEO and co-chair of the Better Business Act coalition
4th March 2021
Breaking through the sometimes mystifying language of impact measurement and management is a challenge, but a project run by Social Value UK and an accelerator for Indonesian social enterprises has proved a success.
A 21st century economic success story, Indonesia has seen a surge in economic activity resulting in a quadrupling of its per capita GDP between 2000 and 2019. However, it’s fair to say that this has not been a tide to float all boats. According to the World Bank and NGOs like Human Rights Watch, almost 10% of the country’s 264 million residents live below the poverty line, regional inequality is rife, deforestation, overcrowding and other forms of environmental degradation loom large, and many millions face discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability and sexual orientation.