Spec Finish

AGM and conference THE ROADMAP TO RECOVERY DEBATE – COMPLIANCE, COLLABORATION, COMPETENCE AND CULTURE 20 www.thefis.org Sponsored by Etag Fixings, the second half of the conference was given over to a debate where panellists looked at the big changes we expect to see in the next two years, how businesses within the sector need to adapt, how the sector needs to evolve, the critical steps to effecting positive change and what can we do as a community to influence change. Listeners to the conference could submit questions to the panel live. Panel Helen Tapper, Finance Director, Tapper Interiors and FIS President Jim Nania, Director of Stortford Interiors and FIS Board Member Jonathan Cherry, Managing Director, Saint-Gobain Ecophon, UK and Ireland and FIS Board Member Lydia Sharples, Group Marketing and Communications Director, Encon and FIS Board Member Special guests: Steve Watson, National Supply Chain Director, Wilmott Dixon Andrew Parkin, Director, Cundall LLP Ann Bentley, Global Board Director, Rider Levett Bucknall Shaun Bonner, Sales Director, ETAG Fixings The Construction Leadership Council roadmap to recovery has laid out proposals to secure the future of construction businesses nationwide while setting the industry on a sustainable path towards recovery based on three key steps: • transformation (sustained growth through innovation); • value (adoption of procurement models that deliver better value and whole life performance); and • partnership (stronger partnerships between the industry and its clients and that focus on competence). The panel talked about how they felt we could transform our sector both as an FIS community and as individual businesses, starting with the contractors; Iain asked them what they would do differently in 2021: Helen Tapper: We all changed our working practices and procedures since March 2020 and some of those changes will help us to be more efficient, we have had to think differently so any permanent changes will simply evolve. Jim Nania: All companies must adapt and review their business plans, working with their clients. Look how you can reduce the on-site risks because following the Hackitt Report, compliance will become so much more important. Steve Watson: In our industry there is a lot of inconsistency so we are all at different stages. From a partner/supply chain perspective, Willmott Dixon looks for companies that have the desire to change, improve and challenge the main contractor and be easy to do business with. In 2021 we will urgently tackle sustainability throughout our supply chain and key to all our plans is collaboration. Shaun Bonner: As manufacturers, we see off-site as the way forward in 2021. Brexit will make it a difficult year – the supply chain is already putting in big price increases, making it hard for contractors to see a profit, as products specified maybe 18 months ago have risen by 10%. Lydia Sharples: COVID has accelerated change for the good and it has made businesses stronger and more adaptable. The panel debate