On 21 October, we hosted our first ever virtual members event for the UK construction and utilities sectors, welcoming 15 speakers and hundreds of delegates to hear presentations, take part in virtual speed networking and round table discussions, promoting transparency around upcoming projects and engagement within the supply chain.
Doug Aris, Head of UK Construction, Achilles said, “We facilitated almost a hundred 1-2-1 meetings, over 3.5 hours of presentations and panel discussions and shared some really engaging topical discussion with the industry. It was fantastic to hear about major projects in UK Construction and how supply chain partners can work on them, further to this the questions and responses from attendees was really encouraging. Being able to engage 1-2-1, as a panel or in a larger group gave all the advantages of an event but from the comfort of your desk. It really is the future for B2B engagement”.
Project opportunities and topical discussion
There were a few key themes that emerged through the event, encompassing project updates and opportunities, reducing risk, business continuity and resilience. Read our highlights and watch the presentations below.
Project Updates – HS2, Highways and Hotels
Speakers from Mace Dragados, Costain and McGee provided significant project updates covering HS2, Highways and Hotels, delivering great insight into the busiest areas of construction and the opportunities to upgrade our roads and rail infrastructure. The value that suppliers drive within these buying organisations and how to do business with them, was of noteworthy importance during these presentations.
Reducing risk – Modern Slavery and Labour Practice Audits
The risk of modern slavery and labour exploitation increases down through the supply chain past tier 1 and 2 suppliers because you lose the transparency that comes with traditional pre-qualification. Alice Hands, Head of Ethical and Sustainable Procurement, Sir Robert McAlpine gave great insight into how they are using Achilles Labour Practice Audits to deep dive into their supply chain to reduce the risk of modern-day slavery.
Business Continuity – COVID-19 and Brexit
Supply chain resilience is a recurring theme throughout most of presentations as we have been living through the COVID-19 pandemic, high unemployment figures that accompany a global recession and the UK’s breakup from the EU. Nigel Coatsworth, Head of Procurement Compliance and Alliance Shared Services, UKPN remarked that they want to actively work with suppliers to encourage the resilience of sustainability and diversity, to avoid disruptions within the supply chain.
What our customers thought of Achilles Connect
“I thought the format worked really well and I made some useful contacts in the networking sessions on the video meetings and direct messaging.”
“A really well organised and executed event with a stunning range of presentations. Thank you.”
“Thanks Achilles, I especially got a lot out of the speed networking.”
Watch on demand
We have collated over 3.5 hours of engaging presentations from the event so you can watch the presentations that matter the most to your business, on demand.
