Safer Highways, to become a community interest company owned by its membership
Safer Highways, the industry movement which champions effective management of Heath, Safety and wellbeing for those we put to work is to become a community interest company.
The move, which was initially planned to take place in 2020, but was put on hold by the global pandemic, will now come into place on 1st January 2023.
Effectively this means all member companies will now own a stake in the organisation and will give a greater degree of clarity around governance.
The change will also mean that Kevin Robinson will step aside as CEO of the organisation and alongside COO Freya Wells instead become a member of the board of trustees under the chairmanship of David Lowery, Managing Director of Galliford Try.
Speaking about the move Mr Robinson said,
"When I founded Safer Highways, alongside industry peers it was never supposed to be about just me, but instead a movement which brought the sector together with common goals around making the work place better for those we put to work.
"It was never my intention that this become something which I carried on my shoulders forever but instead - like our children, something which I gave birth to and then stood back and allowed to thrive under its own steam, driven and empowered by the supply chain.
"In our new roles both myself and my Operations Director, Freya Wells, will continue to be as committed as ever to ensuring the organisation thrives, whilst at the same time giving ownership to the membership.
"We have already appointed the relevant legal and financial teams to make the process as seamless as possible and I promise that from an operational perspective it is business as usual."
Adding to Mr Robinson's comments Freya Wells, Chief Operating Officer of Safer Highways said,
“Becoming a Community Interest Company will allow us to move on to the next level. The organisation has evolved rapidly over a short period and this news means that Safer Highways is now better positioned to provide a real benefit to the industry.
“We’re already at the centre of sharing good practice, skills, experience and knowledge across the sector. Becoming a CIC it puts us in an even stronger position and will open up opportunities to secure funding that will enable further progression in these areas. Ultimately, we want to help all of our members and this means that we’ll be able to give even more back to the sector.”
The process will commence with immediate effect and is scheduled to conclude by the end of the year meaning that all 2023 memberships will be collected by the new organisation.
Throughout the transition there will extensive consultation with the membership to ensure that the new organisation is fit for purpose for all.
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