This month, CECA has re-signed the Conflict Avoidance Pledge, which reaffirms the Association’s commitment to collaborative working in UK infrastructure and resolving emerging issues before they develop into costly disputes.
CECA members across England, Scotland and Wales deliver complex, long-term projects that necessitate extensive supply chains and commercial risk. The projects our members deliver inevitably encounter challenges – whether through changes in design, the emergence of unforeseen circumstances, or legitimate differences of opinion between contracting parties. What matters is how those issues are managed.
The Conflict Avoidance Pledge provides a clear framework for an approach that minimises unnecessary cost and delay. Its signatories commit to collaborative working and early intervention throughout the supply chain; embedding conflict avoidance mechanisms into projects; improving their ability to identify potential disputes early; and working with industry partners to prevent disagreements escalating into formal adversarial proceedings.
This is not simply about avoiding the cost of litigation or adjudication. Disputes in the construction industry cost the industry billions a year, slow down the ability of our members to deliver for their clients and communities, and can damage commercial relationships or impact on organisational reputations.
For CECA members, those relationships are particularly important. Infrastructure is rarely delivered by organisations operating in isolation. Successful projects depend upon clients, contractors, designers, consultants and specialist supply chains working together, often over many years.
When difficulties emerge, identifying them early, discussing them openly and putting appropriate mechanisms in place to resolve them can help prevent positions becoming entrenched, and minimise unnecessary costs and delays.
Commenting, CECA Director of Policy & Public Affairs Ben Goodwin said: “Delivering infrastructure is fundamentally a collaborative endeavour that involves companies of different sizes and specialisms. Disagreements will sometimes arise on complex projects or work programmes, but industry needs to work to ensure they don’t automatically escalate into serious disputes.
“By re-signing the Conflict Avoidance Pledge CECA is reaffirming our support for an industry culture in which potential issues are identified early, discussed openly, and resolved fairly and amicably.
“This approach protects relationships across the supply chain, reduces unnecessary cost and allows everyone involved to concentrate on what ultimately matters – delivering the infrastructure that communities and businesses need and that drives growth in the economy.”
Conflict avoidance is also consistent with the direction of government procurement policy. The Construction Playbook, which sets out the UK Government’s expectations for the assessment, procurement and delivery of public works projects and programmes, focuses on improving the way contracting authorities and suppliers engage with one another. Conflict avoidance has become increasingly embedded within that wider drive towards more collaborative project delivery.
The Conflict Avoidance Coalition now brings together more than 100 organisations, including public bodies, contractors, consultants and professional institutions, with the shared aim of reducing the financial, reputational and relational costs associated with disputes.
The Pledge is therefore more than a statement of good intentions. Its value lies in organisations translating its principles into the way projects are procured, contracts are managed and relationships throughout the supply chain operate day-to-day.
By re-signing the Conflict Avoidance Pledge, CECA has renewed our commitment to working with our members, clients and partners to promote earlier intervention, collaborative behaviours and practical mechanisms that prevent avoidable disputes.
If you are a CECA member and would like to know more, e-mail enquiries@ceca.co.uk.