CEWales E Bulletin February 2022

Do we carry on and keep calm? Yes, of course we do. Construction remains the great enabler for change in our society. Improvements to our homes, healthcare, education, transport and infrastructure and our communities and wider environment depend on the decisions made up and down the construction supply chain. So, despite the fact we are faced with issues as diverse as war in the Ukraine, labour shortages, rising costs of materials and ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic we carry on.

We have a responsibility to our teams, local people and Wales to build and build right.

For me, the event we held to celebrate the CEW Awards in mid-February, was a perfect example of the mindset in Wales. Whatever is happening we look forward. We move to the front foot and see the positives. Welsh construction is not just rooted in best practice – it is solution focussed. That was the vibe I picked up at the St David’s Hotel. The atmosphere was upbeat, creative, full of ideas and optimism.

We have to hold on to that. For ourselves and maybe also out of respect for what the people of Ukraine are dealing with at the moment.

If you’ve not read it yet, then please take a look at Lem Bingley’s leader column in CN last week. It poses some questions that any leader of a business, or a team within an organisation should be considering. His overall theme is about mindset. The message is that within construction the traditional mindset must shift. The fact that processes and thinking in the sector have to modernise is no big secret – and the CE movement has been championing it for more than 20-years. Lem says, “Who in their right mindset could weather the pandemic, unprecedented materials shortages, massive inflation and of the other challenges and think: ‘fine, we’ll just carry on as before.’”

But to think differently requires confidence, clear vision and then executing that new thinking often needs support and guidance. So, yes, move to a new mindset, but make sure you have the systems and structure in place to help you achieve what you’re targeting. For me, the CEWales family gives that structure. It is what being a member is about. That’s why we are also encouraging members to commit to what we stand for as an organisation.

Whilst CEWales is the voice for the industry and an active and dynamic force for change, we are here to serve you as members. We all serve each other – and we carry on.