For construction product reform, the direction of travel is clear – it’s time for us all to act

The government response to the Grenfell phase two inquiry report and last month’s publication of the green paper confirms its commitment to bring forward system-wide reform of the construction products regime. This removes any doubt about the intention to drive permanent and lasting change in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The political will being shown to see this through should be applauded. The tougher stance on compliance and enforcement is much needed and welcomed.

The green paper underscores construction product reform with the intention to support a regulator with more powers and greater monitoring and effective sanctions. Firms that play by the rules, embrace responsibility and accountability and that deserve a future in the construction and built environment sector embrace this and some are already tangibly doing the right thing.

>> Also read: Industry welcomes government’s Grenfell Inquiry response but warns of more disruption

>> Also read: We all have a role to play in construction products reform

None of what is in the government response and green paper should be a surprise; it is the culmination of an almost eight-year debate and discussion following the fire in June 2017. The government’s approach supports the findings of all major reports since the tragedy: the Hackitt review, the Morrell Day independent review on testing and certification and the Grenfell phase two inquiry report chaired by Sir Martin Moore Bick.

Fundamental to the regulatory change required is behaviour change across the industry focusing on greater responsibility, accountability and transparency by all. This is crucial to preventing further tragedy.

There are responsibilities for all players in the ecosystem who must work with construction products and materials to deliver a safe building

When it comes to construction products reform, this is not just about the actions or behaviours of construction product manufacturers and suppliers. The green paper highlights clear actions and responsibilities for product users – such as clients, contractors, specifiers and designers – whether that be seeking assurance that the information provided for products is truthful and can be relied upon to make decisions about safe use, or upskilling to ensure that the information can be understood and applied directly.

There are responsibilities for all players in the ecosystem who must work with construction products and materials to deliver a safe building. This requires a mindset change – it highlights strongly the importance and centrality of the procurement processes and the materials and products in a project. There is a need for each participant in the process, from manufacturer through to client and all points in between, to be proactively reassuring themselves and others that they have played their required part in the delivery of a safe building.

This requires significantly greater due diligence on the part of clients and contractors in relation to procurement system, process and decisions. It will also require greater consideration and understanding of risk by all participants – especially, for example, when considering safety-critical elements of a project.

Throughout the government green paper, the importance of clear, accurate, accessible, up-to-date and unambiguous product information and marketing is consistently underscored as critical to the change required. This chimes directly with the aim and work of the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) to raise standards in construction product information and marketing.

This is essential for clients and product users who need to have greater confidence in the product information used in their decision-making. CCPI is playing a key role in encouraging and facilitating greater construction product transparency which directly responds to issues raise by the phase two inquiry report and also has the potential to support and underpin the development of a construction product library.

The CCPI is on a mission to drive a transformational step-change in construction product information management and marketing

As a leading initiative driving critical change required, the CCPI is referenced in a number of places in the green paper, with the government clearly calling for greater industry engagement with the CCPI. This is for good reason. In line with the government vision in the green paper, the CCPI is on a mission to drive a transformational step-change in construction product information management and marketing.

The CCPI assessment process includes valuable elements to benefit all parties’ due diligence – leadership and culture and continuous improvement mechanisms that do not exist elsewhere in the construction sector in assessments for manufacturers and their product information and suppliers.  For the 100 manufacturer and supplier organisations already either with products on the market carrying the CCPI assessed mark or close to being so, there is clear benefit in doing the right thing and engaging with the CCPI assessment.

There are thousands more manufacturers and suppliers who need to step up and do the same. The green paper strongly encourages this. Additionally, this highlights the need for clients and contractors, product users and specifiers to play their part.

Some demand-side leaders are already showing the way. CCPI demand-side supporters – the likes of Berkeley Homes, Mace, Kier, Skanska, Morgan Sindall, Bellway Homes, Barratt, Persimmon, Sir Rober McAlpine, Murphy and BAM – are all showing their commitment to driving the change. Clients now need to embrace their role and support CCPI as part of their building safety and sustainability due diligence.

The opportunity is there to work with those manufacturers and suppliers that are committed to continually improving their product information by registering and conforming with the CCPI. If you are a demand-side player – whether that be a client, contractor, developer, housebuilder, architect, specifier or insurer – the call to action is to join the CCPI demand-side supporter community.

If you are a manufacturer or supplier, merchant or distributor, the opportunity is to register with the CCPI for assessment of product information and marketing and become part of the community working with the CCPI to raise standards across the industry. The direction of travel laid out by the government is clear. Industry does not need to wait.

Amanda Long is chief executive of the Code for Construction Product Information