Highways England has announced the winners of its Supplier Recognition Scheme.
This is the first time the annual recognition scheme has been held under the recently formed government-owned company which is delivering £11 billion of improvements until 2020.
The scheme recognises the vital contribution made by Highways England’s suppliers who help them modernise, maintain and operate England’s network of motorways and major A roads.
Despite a record year in 2014 with 118 entries, the 2015 scheme surpassed this with 166 entries with four small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and six members of the extended supply chain being successful among the eight key areas, the majority of these coming in partnership with our direct suppliers (also known as Tier ones).
Highways England also awarded its first communities prize which is for suppliers who demonstrate that they have engaged with community groups from the outset of schemes and incorporated their needs into the way they work.
Jim O’Sullivan, chief Executive of Highways England said: “To have surpassed last year’s success is tremendous and it’s a credit to our suppliers who are demonstrating they can continuously improve to provide even better working practices and more innovative solutions.
“As we place even more emphasis on safety and customer service for all who use our network, my message to suppliers is thanks and let’s continue to improve together.
“This is good progress and we must make sure that by 2020 we can be proud of the delivery of the first Road Investment Strategy and well placed to deliver the next one.”
Winners and highly commended:
Safety, health and wellbeing – awarded to suppliers that show industry leading commitment to improving organisational, workforce and road user health and safety.
Awarded to: Carillion/Morgan Sindall joint venture, Redspeed International, North Yorkshire Police for an initiative to reduce LGV violations and change driver behaviour.
A-One+ Integrated Highway Services for its worker wellbeing initiatives that helped result in lower absence rates including mental health, sleep management and a summer health campaign.
Highly commended: Kier Strategic Highways and WJ Group; BAM Nuttall/Morgan Sindall joint venture, Speedy Services;
Customer experience – awarded to suppliers that have demonstrated industry leading commitment to customer service.
Awarded to: Balfour Beatty Mott Macdonald joint venture for its work in Area 4 including listening to customers to avoid disruption to journeys, reducing complaints, and working with key transport stakeholders to improve journey times.
Highly commended: A-One+ Integrated Highway Services;
Communities – awarded to suppliers that have engaged with community groups from the outset, understood what really matters to them and identified ways in which they can work differently.
Awarded to: Skanska for its work with community groups during the M1 Junction 19 improvement scheme, including regular communication and project updates and support for local businesses affected by road closures.
Highly commended: Carillion/Morgan Sindall joint venture;
Delivering sustainable value and solutions – awarded to suppliers that have integrated environmental, social, economic and management aspects of sustainable development into the delivery of Highways England contracts.
Awarded to: Kier Strategic Highways, Evans Associates, Treeconomics for an innovative project to record tree species in the south west and quantify their benefits as part of sustainability reporting.
Highly commended: Aecom, Davidson-Watts Ecology;
Inclusion – awarded to suppliers that have created opportunities to bring people into the workplace, developed skills and created an environment where differences are valued and utilised.
Awarded to: Skanska for its overall approach to diversity and inclusion, including a 2020 vision and range of initiatives focusing on awareness rolled out across its projects and the extended supply chain.
Building capacity and capability – awarded to suppliers that have developed their employees’ skills and capabilities through delivery of Highways England contracts.
Awarded to: Chevron Traffic Management for their recruitment initiatives and training to people from a diverse demographic, including young people and ex armed forces.
Managing down cost/improving value – awarded to suppliers that have demonstrated significant achievement by delivering Highways England contracts in smarter, more efficient ways.
Awarded to: Carillion/Morgan Sindall joint venture for the A1 Leeming to Barton scheme, demonstrating delivery of cost savings and efficiencies at all stages.
Highly commended: BAM Nuttall/Morgan Sindall joint venture;
Supply chain management – awarded to suppliers that demonstrate Highways England’s strategic agenda, values and principles through supply chains.
Awarded to: Kier Strategic Highways, Chevron Traffic Management, Towey Duffy, Aggregate Industries, WJ Group, Tripod Crest for collaboratively preparing and managing to start work on two multi-million pound schemes on day one of a new area contract.
Highly commended: Kier Strategic Highways, Towey Duffy; Jacobs; Manchester Smart Motorways (Costain, Balfour Beatty, Carillion, BAM/Morgan Sindall joint venture, Hyder/Halcrow joint venture, Faithful and Gould) with Virtus Ltd;
Special award: Kier Strategic Highways, First Military Recruitment for an initiative involving the recruitment of ex-services personnel to fill skilled roles as well as seeing beyond disability.
