McLaughlin & Harvey has achieved BS 99001 certification, a British Standard for the built environment sector that enhances the global ISO 9001 quality management system with sector-specific requirements.
The standard launched in 2022 and builds on the existing ISO 9001:2015 standard. It was developed to address the unique challenges of the construction industry, particularly in response to events like the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the recommendations of the Hackitt Report. The standard focuses on quality in areas such as competence and design, to improve safety, sustainability and the overall level of Quality in the construction industry, down to a granular project level.
“This is a very proud moment for us as we have recently seen that BS 99001 is being asked for in tender submissions, PQQs and Frameworks and although it’s still to go through the official UKAS process, we didn’t want to wait to do an overhaul of our management system and to prepare for a fundamental shift in how Quality is managed in construction.
“To be in the top three in the UK to achieve this shows our strong leadership, maturity and culture in the built environment.”
Derek Geyer, Head of Quality at McLaughlin & Harvey
The first stage of the process involved conducting a gap analysis of BS 99001 to identify the requirements for each additional clause specified in the standard. Sessions with teams throughout the business were organised with strong collaboration throughout the process.
NQA then conducted a Stage 1 Audit on the existing quality management system, which raised actions.
For Stage 2 of the Audit, the auditor needed to see BS 99001 implemented in practice. A visit to a new-build Passivhaus project, Wester Hailes High School, which is being delivered through the SCAPE Framework for the City of Edinburgh Council, was arranged. The auditor toured the site and spoke with team members about the quality measures implemented.
Before the final report and certification were issued to McLaughlin & Harvey, NQA scrutinised the evidence to ensure it met the requirements of the standard.
“Within McLaughlin & Harvey, we have a strong quality culture embedded in the business and this certification further reinforces our commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality management in everything we do. This certification is a result of the hard work and dedication of several departments. In reviewing our project at Wester Hailes High School, we demonstrated a clear approach to delivering quality throughout the entire project life cycle. As proud holders of BS 99001, this will provide greater assurances to our clients of the level of quality expected and maintained within McLaughlin & Harvey.”