Strengthening supply chain partnerships
We completed a national programme of supply chain engagement events in 2026 across London, Manchester, Scotland and Leeds, bringing together partners from across the UK to strengthen relationships, improve collaboration and support future delivery.
The events provided an opportunity to share our strategic direction, discuss future opportunities and reinforce the vital role our supply chain plays in helping us deliver safe, sustainable and high-performing projects.
Putting safety first and foremost
Safety was the central focus throughout every event, reflecting our Safety First & Foremost strategy and our shared commitment to ensuring everyone goes home safely at the end of every day.
Sessions explored the behaviours and standards that underpin safe delivery, highlighting key initiatives including Safety in Mind, visible leadership and our Don't Walk By programme. Attendees also heard powerful personal stories from guest speakers, reinforcing the lasting impact workplace incidents can have on individuals, families and colleagues.
Across all locations, the message was clear: creating a strong safety culture is a shared responsibility that depends on leadership, engagement and the confidence to challenge unsafe behaviours.
Delivering success together
Our supply chain partners play a critical role in project delivery across the UK. The events provided a valuable forum to discuss how closer collaboration, early engagement and transparent communication can help drive better outcomes for customers and projects alike.
Attendees heard updates from regional leadership teams, as well as colleagues from procurement, health and safety, sustainability and social value. The sessions also encouraged open discussion, helping us better understand partner priorities and opportunities for continuous improvement.
Supporting consistency and growth
The events provided an update on our Journey to 2030, including our focus on controlled growth, operational excellence, project certainty and sustainability.
Partners also received updates on our procurement strategy, including the continued rollout of Local Supply Chain, our group-wide platform designed to streamline onboarding, tendering and supplier performance management. The system is helping create a more consistent and transparent experience, supported by improved data, digital tools and collaboration.
In addition, attendees learned more about Earlytrade, an optional early payment platform that provides greater cash flow flexibility for trade partners.
A national approach with local focus
By hosting events across four locations, we were able to bring together a consistent national message while ensuring each region could focus on local priorities, customers and future opportunities.
The programme reflects our commitment to building long-term partnerships that support responsible growth, improve delivery and create lasting value for customers, communities and the wider industry.
“Our supply chain plays a vital role in the success of our business. These events gave us the opportunity to come together nationally, share our direction of travel and have open conversations about how we can work better together. Safety was at the heart of every session. Whether we were talking about Don’t Walk By, Safety in Mind, visible leadership or the personal stories shared by our guest speakers, the message was clear: safety is everyone’s responsibility. Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed and helped deliver the events. The strength of the discussions across all four locations shows the value of bringing our teams and partners together as we continue our journey to 2030. ”
Paul Aulton Managing Director of Built Environment and Engineering,
The national rollout marks another important step in strengthening supply chain relationships, improving consistency and working collaboratively to deliver safer, stronger and more sustainable outcomes across the UK.
Events like this play an important role in creating space for open discussion - enabling us to set clear expectations, communicate our vision and collaborate on how we move forward together.
