CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > August 2021 17 SUPPLY CHAIN SUSTAINABILITY SCHOOL Supply Chain Sustainability School aimS to improve labour standards through the People Matter Charter There ismore to sustainability than the environment. Carbon, air quality, biodiversity and renewable energy have been the key focus this past decade, but sustainability is composed of three pillars, and often economic and social are overlooked. However, times are changing. With the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, increasing scrutiny of labour exploitation practices within the supply chain, the focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), plus the challenge of an aging workforce and lack of new entrants - the construction industry has had to rethink their people strategy. They have been grappling with how to address this perfect storm that ultimately affects organisations ability to deliver good construction services and products. It is sometimes easy to forget that without people, the industry would be unable to function at all. People issues are all interconnected. Rather than focusing on compliance with the Modern Slavery Act or EDI practices in isolation, good businesses are being encouraged to think more holistically about how they recruit and retain their talent. This has never been more important than in today’s environment with the added complexity of the pandemic and Brexit, which has added fuel to the fire. The launch of the People Matter Charter In 2020, the Supply Chain Sustainability School launched a people initiative. The People Matter Charter was designed to help businesses rethink their workforce strategy, supporting them in driving better labour standards and advise on how to apply these consistently throughout the construction supply chain. The Charter encourages supply chain organisations to address key aspects of industry-wide labour issues, by following eight commitments: 1. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 2. Skills & Training 3. Wellbeing 4. Living Wage 5. Human Rights Due Diligence in Materials Supply Chains 6. Labour Legal Requirements 7. Modern Slavery and Labour Exploitation 8. Employment Conditions Why commit to the Charter? By providing a consistent set of standards relating to workforce issues in the industry, the Charter benefits businesses by helping them: • Demonstrate to clients a commitment to engage and develop the workforce • Increase staff retention • Improve wellbeing and help decrease absenteeism • Improve supply chain resilience • Adapt to the needs of an evolving industry Since its launch, 85 companies have committed to embed best practice in these key areas. It is also important to note that these companies committed to the Charter during the COVID-19 pandemic - a time that presented businesses with their biggest people challenge in generations. Committing to the charter is simple and once committed, the Supply Chain Sustainability School provides a wealth of guidance via free resources, e-learning and workshops, designed to help anyone who needs support with developing organisational best people practices. The online assessment tool - the People Matter Charter Roadmap - helps organisations assess their level of maturity against each of the eight commitments outlined in the Charter. How to sign up? The Charter is free, voluntary and applies to any business within the construction industry. To commit to the Charter, the Supply Chain Sustainability School asks signatories to undertake the following: • Already be at least ‘entry level’ in 6 of the 8 commitments outlined in the People Matter Charter Roadmap • Commit to embedding the People Matter Charter in the organisation • Commit to working with the supply chain and embedding the Charter’s commitments in supply chain requirements • Provide the School with one written case study per year, providing either qualitative or quantitative evidence on the impact the Charter is having on the organisation and / or supply chain If you are interested in finding out more or would like to sign up for free, please email Helen on helen@supplychainschool.co.uk