Build UK unveils its top 10 achievements

The leading representative body for the UK construction industry, Build UK, has unveiled its top 10 achievements over the past decade as it marks its 10^th anniversary – and is backing the industry to go from strength-to-strength over the next decade.

By providing a strong collective voice for the industry, Build UK has been able to navigate a wide range of challenges on behalf of its members, including the COVID‐19 pandemic, while delivering fundamental change on long-standing issues, such as payment, pre‐qualification and skills.

Key achievements include its benchmarking of payment performance, which has seen Build UK’s tier one Contractor members reduce the average time taken to pay invoices from 45 days to 29 days since 2018.

The construction pre-qualification process has been transformed by the Common Assessment Standard launched by Build UK in 2019. The industry-recognised standard is now specified for public sector contracts and used by more than 75% of its Contractor members, enabling over 21,000 certified suppliers to demonstrate organisational capability while improving efficiency and reducing cost.

Build UK has also been at the forefront of supporting the industry to implement the new building safety regime since it came into effect in 2023, while Open Doors has taken thousands of potential new entrants behind the scenes of construction sites across the UK over the last ten years to inspire them to choose a career in the industry.

With the support of its members, Build UK has also developed an industry-wide standard for the colours of safety helmets, driven the use of CSCS cards using smart technology, and helped to make flexible working on site a reality.

Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol, (pictured) who has led the organisation since its inception and was awarded an OBE for services to the construction industry in 2024, said:

“Construction, like so many other sectors, has faced unprecedented challenges over the last decade, but Build UK has consistently demonstrated what can be achieved with the whole supply chain around the same table.

“This was especially true during COVID-19 when we worked collaboratively to keep the industry open throughout every lockdown, supporting the UK economy.

“Our sector is now at the heart of the Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth and we are ideally placed to power up construction and deliver the homes and infrastructure the country needs over the next ten years and beyond.

“I’d like to thank all our members and partners for their input and support and here’s to another 10 years representing this fantastic industry!”

Details of Build UK’s achievements over the last 10 years can be found in its top 10 Achievements for #BuildUK10.