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Not One, But Four SSIP Accreditations!

In 2022, Nene Warehouse Solutions achieved membership status with CHAS and SafeContractor, two of the UK’s leading SSIP accreditation schemes, this now give us four accreditations. We went through the full assessment which has 12 elements, including Environment, Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility to name just a few.

As founding members of the SSIP forum, CHAS The Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) and SafeContractor have become industry staples in health and safety accreditation. Both deliver one-stop solutions for contractors eager to adopt the best practices for risk prevention and meet excellent standards across the board.

 

What is SSIP?

Founded in 2009, Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) acts as an umbrella organisation with over 60 registered health and safety schemes. They help facilitate cross-recognition of health and safety assessments between registered members, reducing bureaucracy and ensuring transparent and consistent safe working practices within the supply chain.

SSIP members assess applicants based on established core criteria endorsed by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). An assessment will include evaluating a company’s health & safety policy, risk management, insurance, training, trade qualifications, corporate governance and social responsibility.

More than 82,000 suppliers have obtained SSIP accreditation to date. Its growth, year on year reflects the numerous benefits felt by all parties involved.

What Are the Benefits Of SSIP?

For many buyers, accreditation has become a prerequisite of the tender process, assuring that all suppliers invited to tender have undergone a robust assessment by an independent body. Additionally, it ensures buyers have adequately met their legal requirements under Construction (Design & Management) regulations 2015, allowing them to focus on the later stages of the procurement process. 

For suppliers, SSIP accreditation speaks volumes to both current and prospective clients, providing businesses with a platform to verify their credentials and demonstrate their commitment to transparency and safe working practice. All while reducing the duplication of certification and the demands often associated with the pre-qualification process.

Another positive aspect for SSIP accredited suppliers is cross-recognition. All member schemes recognise each other’s health and safety assessments and standards. So, in theory, you should only ever have to achieve accreditation with one SSIP member to be accepted by them all. Furthermore, holding a valid SSIP accreditation permits application to what is known as a ‘Deem to Satisfy’ assessment with a secondary assessment provider, with potential cost savings as a result. 

 

So why do we have four SSIP accreditations?

Despite the effectiveness of mutual recognition and the positive impact SSIP has had on compliance across multiple industries, the inescapable truth is that different clients favour different accreditation schemes. Usually, one that best fits their established culture and values. In rare cases, clients may even specify more than one accreditation from the same supplier. Leaving many companies with the dilemma of weighing up multiple assessment costs against the results they may (or may not) yield and the long-term opportunities they may (or may not) afford you. 

For Nene Warehouse Solutions, the long-standing partnerships with our clients are the bedrock of our continued growth and success. By adding to our existing SSIP accreditations – Altius and Avetta – we aim to showcase our long-established commitment to our clients, safe working, and corporate governance. 

We recognise how broad and often subjective health and safety can be – legislation has never been more thorough for contractors and clients alike – it’s becoming essential for companies to understand and meet their corporate social responsibilities head-on. 

Each audit we’ve undergone has allowed us to review and improve our operations, furthermore, presenting the opportunity for us to outline our sustainable development goals for the future.