Industry urged to sign up to Olympic pledge card

Industry body the Strategic Forum has launched a best practice document for companies hoping to work on future 2012 Olympics work. The body, whose members include EC Harris chairman Richard Clare, hopes the document will maximise the opportunity for the industry to showcase the UK industry at its best.

The forum's chairman Peter Rogers said: "We see the Olympics as a unique catalyst in improving the industry, and gaining Government backing is a significant achievement. However this is just one step in the process, now wider industry and client stakeholders will sign up to the Commitments, embedding these principles into the activities of their organisation, as we endeavour to achieve a better industry.”The document is split into six sections, including one on procurement and integration. This section calls for:

• Transparent procurment decisions made on best value rather than lowest cost
• Collaborative working
• Ensuring effective and equitable cashflow - all contracts will include fair payment practices such as payment periods of 30 days, not unfair witholding of retentions, project bank accounts, where practicable and cost effective, and the contracts will include mechanisms to encourage defects free construction
• Risks to be clearly identified, quantified and allocated in line with each party's ownership and ability to manage risk
• Contract will have an informal and non-confrontational mechanism to manage out disputes