Edge Reports & Guidance

the Edge has issued its second Institutional Reporting Review covering the transparency of information made available in institutions’ 2019 and 2020 Annual Reports (and occasionally other material). The information has been assessed against the Institutional Best Practice Reporting Standard published in 2019. The result has been a mixed bag with many institutions improving on their previous reporting but with a handful falling back or not reporting at all.

City 2040: An exploratory industry-led research initiative, scrutinising the future UK city of 2040

City 2040, the Edge’s research project developed in collaboration with Taylor Wessing and University College of Estate Management, sets out a vision of how UK cities can flourish amid changes that will benefit both the environment and the wellbeing of citizens - read more

Carbon Zero: the professional institutions’ climate action plan, June 2021

In June 2019, co-ordinated by the Edge , 25 built and natural environment organisations met at the RIBA with the Chair of the Committee on Climate Change, Lord Deben, to discuss the need for action in the face of climate change. Those attending agreed on an urgent and concerted response to achieving the UK’s 2050 net zero carbon emissions target; to continue to work together to establish shared standards and practice; and to continue to develop professional resources and capacity.

Since November 2019 the Edge has been working with the Construction Industry Council (CIC), professional institutions and built environment organisations to co-ordinate a Climate Action Plan for implementation across the industry. The outcome has been agreed to by 29 bodies and was published by the CIC on the 17th June 2021

Link to CIC Blog - Carbon Zero: the professional institutions’ climate action plan - Stephen Hodder MBE, Deputy Chair CIC, June 18th 2021

Collaboration for Change: The edge commission report on the future of professionalism

In 2014 the Edge invited Paul Morrell to chair a Commission of Inquiry into the future of professionalism in the built environment/construction industry. The Edge is very proud to launch the resulting report, which explores the key issues facing professionals and their institutions at this ‘moment for change’ and hopes you will join us in the discussion on this critical issue for the industry and its professional institutions.

“The Edge Commission Report on the Future of Professionalism – Collaboration for Change - provides valuable expert insights at a time of significant evolution of the construction professions, driven by societal, technological, economic and demographic change.  The RIBA supports the general direction outlined in the Report.  Indeed we and other professional institutes are already actively engaged on many of the issues that it identifies and in that context we welcome its publication” - Harry Rich, Chief Executive RIBA

Link to: Edge Professionalism Workstream

As a result of Collaboration for Change, the following initiatives aim to encourage better reporting standards amongst built environment institutions, a stronger code of conduct which reflects our civic duties towards society and the natural environment, and an ethical code which emphasises on our collective responsibility in addressing climate change in daily practice.

Institution good practice reporting standard

In order to encourage greater levels of transparency and openness within the construction industry, the Edge is encouraging the professional institutions and others to publish anonymised, consistent and comparable information on their organisations and membership in their annual reports.

The Standard recommends that this covers data on:

• Individual membership;

• Corporate membership;

• Staffing;

• Discipline;

• Education;

• Learned society & research activities; and

• Public engagement.

Institutional Reporting Review 2019

In preparation for publishing the Institutional Good Practice Reporting Standard the Edge has carried out surveys assessing reporting practice in the Annual Reports and Equality Act reports of the CIC member organisations operating under Royal Charters, covering the years ending 2012 and 2017. In 2017 there were 17 such organisations and the same group has been surveyed as a comparator for 2012. The Review reports on the data for the 7 topics outlined in the Standard and the degree of reporting on these across the 17 organisations.

It is proposed to publish a short form review on an annual basis.

Draft model code of Conduct

In response to recommendation A-1 in the Edge Commission of Inquiry report, Collaboration for Change, the Edge has produced a draft model Code of Conduct exploring the potential for an effective code that could be widely used across the construction industry professional institutions.

The Model Joint Code of Conduct:

• is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive

• is drawn and adapted from other codes, including: Society of Construction law, RIBA, ARB, EC-RAE, ICE, RICS, CIAT, CIBSE, CIOB, IStructE, LI, RTPI, International Ethics Standard, Nolan, Deloitte, Atkins and Arup - plus the new professionalism code prepared by Edge member, Bill Bordass.

• is based on whom duties are owed to. This came out of the findings of the Edge Commission, which identified the high levels of confusion on whom or what professionals should be responsible to/for. It is intended to bring greater clarity although it does mean a certain degree of repetition

• should be accompanied by guidance notes and examples that will be particular to each institution

• doesn’t include institutional housekeeping items or disciplinary procedures, which should be located in individual institution’s regulations, by-laws or guidance notes.

See also the accompanying draft proposed Professional Compact below.

draft professional compact

The Edge is proposing a text that outlines the relationship between professionals in the Construction industry and those who are commissioning their services

It should be read in conjunction with the accompanying draft model Code of Conduct above.

PROFESSIONAL COMPACT

Professionals in the construction and property sectors will deploy:

• expertise, skill, knowledge and experience to deliver agreed services in good faith

• competence, diligence, honesty, integrity and care;

• evidence-based judgement to achieve high standards of work and conduct,

Subject to the obligation to:

• put the interests of the wider world and society first and to take protective action when necessary, but otherwise to put clients’ interests before their own;

• take personal and corporate responsibility for the outcomes of their work;

• show proper care, consideration and fairness towards others, especially those involved in realising projects and those who will live with the outcome;

• keep their own knowledge relevant and up to date;

• train and help develop the abilities of other members of both their profession and society;

• measure, feed back and share relevant information and insights gained from their work in order to develop and improve knowledge and skill across the disciplines.

In exchange for:

• the trust of those commissioning services;

• recognition of their independence and right to self-direction;

• the grant of respect and status;

• a degree of exclusivity over the provision of socially important services;

• fair payment for their work.