There are now 200 organisations collaborating through the Supply Chain Sustainability School with the aim of making the built environment industry greener.
Wigan & Leigh College is the school’s 200th partner—and the first education provider to sign up.
Launched in 2012, the school develops the sustainability knowledge and green skills of the next generation of workers. Its partners share best practice, knowledge and free resources around with their supply chains and the wider industry.
Dale Turner, director of procurement and supply chain for Skanska UK, one of seven founding partners along with CITB, commented: “Before the school was launched, the industry was really fragmented.
“What the school has done is created a great collaborative environment for companies and their supply chains to improve on sustainability going forward. As one of the founding partners, to see it reach this 200 partner milestone is incredible.”
The Supply Chain Sustainability School, whose training is delivered by Action Sustainability consultancy, has continued to grow and adapt in response to new challenges and opportunities, looking to positively affect the future of the built environment.
In 2022, the school trained nearly 25,000 people from more than 5,000 companies. It also received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development in recognition of the significant environmental, social and economic benefits it has delivered to its members and partners.
Most recently, the school launched the Future Workforce initiative to encourage education providers such as Wigan & Leigh College to join as partners and engage in the sustainability agenda to prepare their staff and students in the same way as their peers in the industry.
The initiative will also provide opportunities for the school’s existing partners to collaborate to tackle the skills gap and workforce planning.
Anne-Marie Francis, vice principal for Wigan & Leigh College, commented: “It is a real honour to be not only the school’s 200th partner but also the first partner supporting the Future Workforce initiative.
“Moving forward, the school will be instrumental in providing the necessary training to help our staff and students develop the sustainability knowledge and green skills needed for future careers within the industry.”
Ian Heptonstall, director of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, added: “When we first floated the idea of an online sustainability learning platform for the built environment industry, we were told it was unlikely that competing companies would collaborate, nor would people use an online training platform. But most of all, that supply chains were simply not interested in sustainability.
“I am delighted to see that our 200th partner is Wigan & Leigh College. If we are to ensure that we attract the best talent into our industry, this collaboration with the further education sector is essential and true to our vision of a school that is for all those who work in or want to work in the industry.”
