Latest articles, guides and product updates on supplier onboarding, PQQs, compliance, risk and procurement.
This week, much of the UK has experienced another spell of exceptionally hot weather. For many people, it's a welcome reminder that summer has arrived. For the construction industry, however, it raises a much bigger question.
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For many people, a spell of hot weather is something to enjoy. For the construction industry, however, prolonged periods of extreme heat present a very different challenge. Across the UK, heatwaves are becoming more frequent, lasting longer, and reaching higher temperatures than in previous decades. Whilst construction has traditionally been associated with managing rain, wind, and freezing conditions, many organisations are now recognising that heat poses its own risks to workers, project delivery, materials and site operations. The challenge is no longer simply how to get through this week's high temperatures. It is how the industry adapts to a changing climate over the long term.
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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is consulting on reforms to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013. The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has now responded, broadly backing the direction of travel while pressing for rules that are clear, proportionate and practical for the sector. For contractors, the headline is simple: how you report incidents is about to change. What is less obvious, but more important, is that the organisations best placed to adapt will be the ones who already hold clean, accessible information on their people, their sites and their supply chains. That data groundwork has to be in place before the reforms land, not scrambled together afterwards.
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The Building Safety Act 2022 is the most significant change to building safety regulation in England in a generation. Introduced in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the Hackitt Review, it creates a stricter, more accountable system for designing, constructing and managing buildings, with the strongest controls reserved for higher-risk buildings (HRBs). The Act introduces a new dutyholder regime aligned with CDM 2015, a three-stage Gateway approval process, a legal requirement for the Golden Thread of information and a comprehensive set of duties for managing buildings once they are occupied. It also established the Building Safety Regulator, which in January 2026 moved out of the Health and Safety Executive to become a standalone body, with further reform towards a single construction regulator already underway. This guide explains what the Act covers, who it affects, and the practical steps construction and supply chain teams should be taking now.
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Construction tender prices could climb by more than a fifth between now and 2029, and crucially much of that cost risk is expected to be retained by the supply chain rather than passed up the chain. That's the headline from analysis by consultancy Arcadis, reported by Construction News. With steel tariffs, geopolitical instability and a new carbon border measure all adding pressure and the cost of tendering itself rising, margins are getting squeezed from both directions. This article breaks down what the forecasts say, why suppliers are most exposed, and the practical steps, including supply chain management technology, that reduce the operational and risk costs inflation brings.
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With temperatures rising across the UK this week, construction workers and site managers face a number of challenges that go beyond simple discomfort. Unlike many office based professions, construction workers often spend long periods working outdoors, exposed to direct sunlight, physical exertion and heat retaining materials such as steel, concrete and asphalt. Whilst many people enjoy the warmer weather, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can have a serious impact on health, safety, productivity and wellbeing. Understanding the risks and taking simple preventative measures can help keep everyone safe on site.
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Political change often creates uncertainty for businesses and the construction sector is no exception. Following Keir Starmer's announcement that he will step down as Prime Minister, attention has quickly turned to what comes next for the UK economy, public investment, infrastructure spending and business confidence. While markets have remained relatively stable following the announcement, questions remain about how a new leadership team could shape government priorities over the coming years. For the commercial construction sector, leadership changes can influence everything from investment decisions and procurement strategies to major infrastructure programmes and supply chain planning. While it is too early to predict exactly what changes may occur, there are several areas the industry will be watching closely.
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Many organisations use the terms supplier compliance and supplier performance interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. A supplier may be fully compliant yet consistently underperform. Likewise, a supplier may deliver excellent work but fail to maintain the required certifications, insurance or compliance documentation. Understanding the difference is critical for organisations looking to reduce risk, improve project outcomes and build stronger supply chains. The most successful supply chain management strategies focus on both compliance and performance because one without the other can still expose a business to significant risk.
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London Gatwick has recently appointed 11 contractors and specialist firms to support its refreshed Building and Civils Frameworks, helping deliver a significant long-term investment programme across the airport. The framework will support a range of projects including terminal upgrades, infrastructure improvements, sustainability initiatives, asset replacement programmes, and passenger experience enhancements. Whilst much of the attention surrounding major infrastructure projects focuses on the contractors delivering the work, successful project delivery relies on far more than construction activities alone. Projects of this scale generate vast amounts of information, involve complex supply chains, and require long-term operational planning. Managing suppliers, compliance records, project information, asset data, and handover documentation has become just as important as managing the physical construction itself. As major infrastructure programmes continue to grow in size and comple
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become one of the most talked-about technologies in business today. From automating repetitive tasks to providing instant insights, AI promises to transform the way organisations manage their supply chains. However, whilst many businesses are focusing on implementing AI, far fewer are focusing on something even more important: data quality. The reality is that AI is only as good as the information it can access. If supplier records are incomplete, compliance data is inaccurate, or documentation is stored across multiple disconnected systems, AI cannot magically fix these problems. In fact, poor data often leads to poor decisions, just made faster. Before organisations invest heavily in AI, they should first ensure they have accurate, structured and trustworthy data. Because in construction supply chain management, good data often matters more than AI itself.
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