1

Helping our suppliers learn,

improve and grow with us

Recognising that our supply chain needed help to develop and keep up with our fast-growing business was the impetus for designing the Good to Gold programme. We knew it would be an ambitious project for us, as a relatively small player in the construction sector, but we recognised the huge social value and business benefits that such a ground-breaking project could generate.

Designed to help our supply chain to develop their business and leadership skills, we now understand better when and how we should communicate, give feedback or ask for help and advice on specialist areas. Importantly, we know how to get buy-in and engagement from our supply chain in return.

This is just the beginning. We have been able to create a vision of the Gold standard, and we are on a journey to improve our systems and working efficiencies. I am sure that our supply chain will reciprocate.

David Woodhead Managing Director, Robert Woodhead Ltd

“

”

UK Commission

for

Employment and Skills

UK Futures Programme

Robert Woodhead

LtdWe were appointed by the UK Commission for

Employment and Skills (UKCES) to work in

partnership through the UK Futures Programme

to develop and deliver the Good to Gold

leadership programme with our supply chain

businesses.

The UK Futures Programme enables robust

testing of innovative skills programmes, to ensure

that any learning is drawn out and shared to

maximise impact on other skills programmes.

Log

ic C

hain

1 Why we developed Good to Gold

Log

ic C

hain

2 Project planning and what actually happened

Log

ic C

hain

3 Outputs, outcomes and impacts

Test Learn Evaluate

We focused not just on achieving outputs, but on

learning through rigorous testing of:

Good to Gold product design and delivery

Business impact and added value for our supply chain and our own business

Supply Chain dynamics to learn and share with others

Future sustainable opportunities for supply chain development

What was planned, what

happened and what we

learned

Launch events : forums to inform, engage and consult on proposals

Industry-specific leadership and best practice workshops, with bronze, silver or gold recognition levels

Achieving recognition as an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Centre to offer ILM-endorsed qualifications for Good to Gold and other programmes

Good to Gold website www.goodtogold.co.uk and a mobile app to support engagement and integrate further learning

Informally-convened supply chain business panels to elicit business feedback linked to specific training events

Celebration event to recognise achievement, involving both staff and supply chain business participants

202 businesses consulted

85 suppliers took part

23 workshops

143 individuals

18% female

476 training places

64% attendance

97 owner-managers

“We have taken thoughts back into the business and developed ideas to better our service as part of the supply chain to enhance

our approach in managing projects, and using costs

effectively.”

Nottinghamshire : 68% Derbyshire : 14%

Lincolnshire : 11% South Yorkshire : 5%

Leicestershire : 1% Other : 1%

0-10 employees : 59% 11-49 employees : 31%

50+ employees : 10.3%

< £500,000 : 29% £500,000 - £1m : 25%

£1m - £5m : 28% > £5m : 4%

No information : 14%

Building Materials : 6% Engineering : 11%

Construction Trades : 65% Consultancy : 5%

Other : 13%

Key Take AwayRemarkably high engagement for smaller businesses in these sectors,

where skills training has a typically low take-up

Turnover

Sector

Location

Number employed

Key Take AwayParticipants gave positive, high-value scores for the design

of the training programme

“I think it was a really fantastic programme …. it

exceeded all of my expectations and I'm very grateful we were able to

access the scheme.

THANK YOU.”

84.1%89%

93.6%93.6%

95.3%100%

100%

Improved business performance

Tailored to the construction sector

Build working partnerships

An opportunity to share best practice

Top quality trainers and experts

Flexible and easy to access

Straightforward

“Since Good to Gold I have taken on more staff,

I'm putting processes in place … and taken on an

office person. We are about to start Growth

Accelerator and finally I've got a new office, having moved from working at

home to a rented office.”

Key Take AwayExcellent feedback from participants in terms of the immediate business impact of Good to Gold

Evidence base to inform future supply chain development

strategy

Improved motivation and

leadership in both supply chain and

own staff, improving business

capabilities as Tier One business

Stronger, face-to-face relationships

between our supplier-facing

staff, e.g. Quantity

Surveyors, and our supply chain

Suppliers with a similar ethos

towards partnered skills

investment identified for

future initiatives

“The workshops gave me ideas that we have now put into practise. I have discussed the majority of the workshops with my

staff and they are thinking and implementing changes that run more efficiently. It also allowed me to discuss

problems with other contractors.”

98.08%Wanted to support a

Woodhead initiative

72.73%Yes, further

skills investment more likely

Almost all took part because it was a Robert

Woodhead-led supply chain initiative - a powerful

indicator of the influence that supply chain

relationships can have on skills investment decisions

A positive outcome in raising SME demand for

leadership training - most participants said the Good

to Gold experience would encourage further

involvement in development programmes

Supply chain partnerships provide a

major business-led opportunity for shared

investment in skills

Consultation on programme content is

vital to levy support from the supply chain

Training must be sector specific, partly for

specialist content but also to match seasonality and

pressure

High quality training is vital for engagement, high enrolment and achievement from

traditionally hard-to-engage businesses

Online learning portal support should be

available from the outset

Extending over a longer period would boost

attendance by removing scheduling pressures for

participants who are already time-stretched

Skills collaboration can reap wider business

benefits for all parties

Our strategic partners, delivery

partners and our suppliers

AB Environmental Solutions Ltd

Able Access Roofing Services Ltd

Able Access Scaffolding Services Ltd

Access Doors Ltd

Alpha Partnership UK Ltd

Alpha Works Ltd

Amber Decorators (UK) Ltd

APH Electrics Ltd

Ashlar Facilities Management Ltd (Painting Division)

A-Star Media Ltd

Balmoral Flat Roofing Ltd

Blitz Drainage Ltd

Brambly Hedge Construction Ltd

BSP Consulting

Carlton Sheet Metal Ltd

CBP Architects

CCM Print Management

Central High Rise Ltd

Cladceil Limited

Collinshallgreen

CRS Fire Protection Ltd

CWM Studios Ltd

DJ Houghton & Sons Groundworks Ltd

Drainscan Ltd

Empire Scaffolding Ltd

FSE Fire Safety Systems Ltd

Giddy Construction Ltd

GM Environmental Services Ltd

Grange Roofing Ltd

Halls Locksmiths Ltd

HKL Specialists Ltd

ICS Mansfield Ltd

Inspired Scaffolding Services Ltd

Integrated Community Solutions CIC

Jet Joinery Supplies Ltd

JKE Ltd

John Richards Decorators Ltd

K & W Builders Ltd

Ken Burrows Ltd

Kingsforth Security Fencing Ltd

Kingston Drywall Ltd

Lincolnshire Flooring Ltd

Lincs Joinery Services Ltd

Lukes & Godwin Ltd

M&M Contracts

M.D.B Plumbing (Nottm) Ltd

Mansfield Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Company Ltd

Martin-Brooks (Roofing Specialists) Ltd

Midland Roofing Services (Derby) Ltd

MIES Building Services

Miller Freeman & Sons (Nottingham) Ltd

MJH Masonry

MJW Asbestos Removal Services Ltd

Morris Vermaport Ltd

MRK Services Ltd

Nottingham Maintenance Ltd

Nottingham Suspended Ceilings Ltd

Optimus Architectural Ltd

Peel Electrical Ltd

Permabond Laminates Ltd

Polar Windows Ltd

Polkey Collins Associates Ltd

Portman Air Conditioning Ltd

R. B. Allfree & Co Ltd

RJ Wilson Electrical Ltd

RJH Engineering

Sean Paul Window Cleaning Services

Second Element Ltd

Selmec (Lincoln) Ltd

Sharpline Decorators Ltd

SkillsReach Ltd

Stag Communications

Sterilizing Services Ltd

Steve Clifford Plumbing Ltd

Style Midlands (MK Door Systems Ltd)

TD Lawson Joinery Contracts Ltd

Temple Mill Engineering Ltd

The Tunstall Partnership Ltd

Total Integrated Solutions Ltd

Transhaven Piling Ltd

Ulyett Landscapes Ltd

Upbeat Design Ltd

Van Elle Ltd

VMV Glazing Ltd

Whitesales Ltd

Strategic Partners

UK Commission for Employment & Skills

CWM Solutions Ltd

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership

Dan Terry Associates

Institute of Leadership & Management

Integrated Community Solutions CIC

SCAPE Group

SkillsReach Ltd

Delivery Partners

Adante UK Ltd

Chris Croft Training Ltd

Construction Industry Training Board

EMB Excellence

Faithful & Gould

Larchwood Construction Marketing

Martin-Fagg Associates Ltd

Mind Games Training Ltd

National Federation of Builders

Nigel Risner & Associates

PIP Associates Ltd

East Midlands family-owned,

award-winning, innovative

construction company

A construction company committed to making building a better experience for all

• Over 40 years design and build, new build, conservation and repairs and maintenance experience

• Over 50 awards in 10 years for craftsmanship, sustainability and corporate social responsibility

• Experience in delivering excellent multi million pound projects for numerous clients.

• Top performing in the sector for the Considerate Constructors Scheme

• Collaborative approach with clients to ensure corporate social and economic objectives achieved

• Exceptional local spend statistics and integrated local supply chain

New Build, Design & Build Repairs & Maintenance Sustainability Conservation

Affordable Housing Commercial Projects Community Projects Defence

Education Heritage Leisure and Living Buildings

24

Robert Woodhead Limited Edwinstowe House High Street Edwinstowe

Nottinghamshire NG21 9PR

Tel: 01623 871 515

Fax: 01623 871 501

Twitter: @RobertWoodhead

Linkedin: Robert Woodhead Limited

YouTube: www.YouTube.com/RobertWoodheadLtd

This document contains extracted highlights of

our full evaluation report of the Good to Gold

project, published in August 2015. If you

would like a copy of the full report, please

contact us