We’ve joined forces with other leading contractors to back a new industry centre in a landmark push for innovation and collaboration
We’ve joined forces with other leading contractors to back a new industry centre in a landmark push for innovation and collaboration
We’ve joined Stepnell, Morgan Sindall, Kier, and BAM as Gold Corporate Partners of the new Centre for Construction Best Practice (CCBP), marking a significant step forward in a sector-wide push for collaboration, innovation and improved delivery standards.
The five firms are among the UK’s most prominent contractors, committed to supporting CCBP’s mission to tackle long-standing issues in the industry, including supply chain instability, skills shortages, and the need for stronger, more collaborative relationships between clients and delivery teams. As founding partners, we will contribute knowledge and expertise to help shape the Centre’s future direction.
The centre is focused on closing the gap between academia and practice by facilitating meaningful collaboration through its academic Advisory Boards and Corporate Partner network. This unique partnership ensures feedback and research flows both ways to encourage tangible improvements in project delivery, sustainability and sector culture.
At CCBP, we believe innovation and best practice in the built environment can only happen through collaboration. The commitment from BAM, Kier, Wates, Morgan Sindall, and Stepnell shows they share that vision.
“With major government investment underway and urgent challenges around skills, net zero and delivery capability, we need joined up and research-led action.
“CCBP connects industry and academia to address these issues head on, not through a talking shop, but by driving practical change through research and collaboration.
“It’s encouraging to see companies who normally compete working together for the benefit of the wider industry.”
Robbie Blackhurst
Chair of the Centre for Construction Best Practice
Improving how we deliver the built environment requires more than technical solutions – it takes genuine collaboration, shared learning, and a long-term view of value. That’s why we’re pleased to support the Centre for Construction Best Practice. Its focus on bridging industry and academia aligns with our belief that thriving places are created when expertise is shared, and delivery is reimagined.”
Stephen Beechey
Group Public Sector Director at Wates Group
CCBP recently hosted its first roundtable, where partner organisations agreed a focus on improving the UK’s construction delivery model. Key concerns raised included a lack of early contractor engagement, inconsistent accountability, and poor risk allocation, all of which can lead to programme delays and cost overruns.
The Centre will work to promote earlier collaboration between clients, designers and contractors, with an emphasis on role-based competency frameworks, transparent risk sharing, and quality-led procurement strategies.
With backing from its Gold Corporate Partners, the Centre will now press ahead with its research agenda and sector engagement programme. This will include the publication of government whitepapers, industry-wide working groups, and events that bring together practitioners and academics to address real world challenges and shape practical solutions that can be adopted across the supply chain.
For more information, visit: https://ccbp.org.uk/
