Small Company of the Year, All big ticks

8build - Giving Back

Small Company of the Year Award

The judges singled out contractor 8build as the newcomer that has had the greatest impact on the industry in the shortest amount of time.

 

Judge2007 Building Awards ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Award'

8build, a main contractor operating in the construction industry, has developed an innovative and responsible way of carrying out its business. With corporate responsibility at the core of their activity, they have been able to affectively deliver benefits to both its business and society: throughout a deep recession that particularly ravaged its industry, 8build maintained a 7% market share in the face of a decrease of nearly 50% in the London market.  

The Story

8build cite 8 reasons why their company is different than any other. Among those are their observance to principles of honesty and integrity, their ethical and responsible approach, their policy of financial transparency and their commitment to reducing negative impacts on the environment. The fusion of this belief system, which 8build calls their 'Lean Construction' philosophy, with an appreciation of the strong link between business and responsibility, renders 8build a unique company.

8build has not only introduced fresh ideas into its industry, but also managed to tackle the effects of the recession in a conscientious manner. Because of their ethical and transparent approach, the company has managed to maintain strong and lasting relationships: since its establishment, they have had 15 repeat clients, which constituted a total of £67.5 million of business. This consistency in their style have allowed 8build to further develop their portfolio, contracting work for churches, charities and socially responsible property developers. Perhaps one of the strongest illustrations of its honest and ethical attitude is their Project Client Account, which designates a separate bank account that allows their clients to ensure their funds are being used correctly. This is precisely the kind of positive change 8build is driving forward in the construction industry.

Impact

Business Impact

  • have maintained a 7% marketshare despite a nearly 50% drop in the London market
  • have tendered 188 so far in 09/10 financial year, in comparison to 151 in 08/09 - improving during the recession
  • have had 15 repeat clients, which constituted a total of £67.5 million of business
  • had 11 unpaid features in national publications, developing their reputation as an industry leader

Social and Environmental Impact

  • provide placements for up to 6 months for eayr 10 students who have difficult and challenging backgrounds
  • voted as one of the Top 5 Industry Employers
  • as an IS0 1400 company, 8build offsets carbon emissions through Climate Care and recycle 97% of site waste
  • adhere to a responsible supply chain through the Afili8 scheme

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