Segura brings sustainable sourcing to the construction industry

  • Written by Peter Needle
  • Published on 11 February 2015
  • Blogs PR

At first glance, a building site might appear to have little to gain from Segura's technology, but the globalisation of the construction supply chain means that behind the scenes the industry is facing new market pressures and problems.

At first glance, a building site might appear to have little to gain from Segura's technology, but the globalisation of the construction supply chain means that behind the scenes the industry is facing new market pressures and problems.

Global construction industry to hit $15 trillion by 2025

For the UK alone, the latest figures from the House of Commons show that the construction industry was directly responsible for £92.4 billion in economic output during 2013.The sector also provided 2.1 million jobs during 2014.

Looking to the future, the global construction market is forecast to be worth a staggering $15 trillion (£9.95 trillion) by 2025. Such dramatic expansion brings risks as well as opportunities. Responsible Solutions Ltd. is a corporate responsibility consultancy focused primarily on the construction industry. Ian Nicholson, Managing Director, explains:

“That rate of growth will inevitably put pressure on supply chain management and particularly on responsible business standards and practice. Construction potentially faces a steep learning curve, if it is to avoid some of the tragic ethical sourcing scandals that have rocked the garment industry, itself a multi-trillion-dollar global market.”

Forming a strategic partnership

Recognising this business need, Responsible Solutions is joining forces with Segura to create a supply chain software solution which will support construction companies in implementing sustainable sourcing practices. In preparation for the challenges ahead, formal responsible sourcing strategies represent a perfect fit for the construction industry.

Segura Systems provides cloud-based supply chain management technology to enable transparent sourcing strategies. A partnership with Responsible Sourcing arose from discussions around growth risks facing the global construction industry, which took place at a recent conference held by The Action Programme for Responsible Sourcing (APRES).

Commenting on the hook-up of two such key solutions providers, APRES lead at Loughborough University, Professor Jacqui Glass says:

"This collaboration is evidence of a growing interest in tackling the risks in complex, global supply chains and is much needed. It is particularly pleasing to see the partnership between Responsible Solutions and Segura developing from their initial meetings through the APRES network which encourages innovative, cross-discipline and cross-sector initiatives to promote responsible and ethical practices. I am confident that construction firms will benefit from this venture."

Managing the construction supply chain

Common supply chain issues are generic across multiple industries. Achieving visibility and control across all suppliers, including primary and secondary as well as tertiary suppliers of products and services, represents a huge concern for ethical companies.

Responsible Solutions is committed to helping businesses improve their environmental and ethical performance and impact, and advises a wide range of manufacturers on their certification for the BES6001 Responsible Sourcing Standard for Construction Products. This framework standard, now in its third version, is increasingly being used to assess and certify products that have complex supply chains.

However, managing all the data required to demonstrate traceability and transparency is becoming more challenging, calling for new approaches, as Ian Nicholson concludes:

“Segura’s capabilities and platforms enable construction companies to efficiently gather and analyse a wide range of information, to ensure responsible sourcing across their supply chains. For Responsible Solutions, this partnership with Segura shows our continued commitment to be at the forefront of improving industry standards, now and in the future.”

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