Construction

• Skills – The on-going skills shortage and lack of diversity is a critical issue for the construction sector. We are currently focused on lobbying to ensure that the Apprenticeship Levy works for the industry, as well as supporting the drive toward diversity with our Women in Construction and Future Leaders Networks.
• Migration – Next to the skills shortage, migration is a further area of concern for the sector, especially as we head into the EU Negotiations. We are working closely with our migration team to ensure the voice of the construction sector is heard.
• Business models – The sector’s existing business models, low margins and fragmented supply chains do not encourage firms to invest and innovate. We are focused on unlocking the industry’s technical knowledge and vision to help deliver the solutions needed while collaborating with key actors in the sector such as the government’s Construction Leadership Council.

• Apprenticeship Levy – The Apprenticeship Levy has been set at 0.5% and will prove a significant extra cost on business. We are pleased with the creation of a Levy Board, which will give business a voice on how the money is spent. We will work with Government to focus on the levy’s implementation and ensure it works with the construction sector’s longstanding levy.
• Capital spending – It is good to see that Government has committed to stay the course to deliver ambitious Capital Spending plans on roads and rail. However, the challenge will be to ensure we maintain the momentum on delivery.
• Housing – The Government recently published housing White Paper included three key policies the CBI had called for in its 2016 housing report No Place Like Home: recognising the importance of the Private Rental Sector, encouraging more market players, and considering innovative practices in supporting delivery and cost reduction. Resolving the national housing crisis will require building homes of all types and tenures, including housing for market and social rent.
• Industrial strategy – The CBI has been a long-term supporter of the previous Government’s industrial strategy. The foundation of Construction 2025 is characterised by partnership: with government and industry working together with a shared vision of long-term growth, driven by greater global competitiveness and exports success.

Come to our events

As a member you’ll receive invites to exclusive events - including roundtables, network events and dinners - throughout the year with high profile speakers from business and politics:

• Diversity in construction – Our network of senior female leaders in the industry meet to discuss the key policy issues impacting the sector and provides opportunities for members to meet their peers and discuss their experiences.
• Client lunches – As part of the CBI’s role as the premier forum where different industries can come together to discuss common issues and coordinate, client lunches provide the opportunity for clients and industry to come together to discuss the opportunities on the horizon as a result of the delivery of major infrastructure projects and programmes as well as how we can take a common approach to tackling the challenges.

Share your views

There are many ways for members to contribute to our work:

• Sustainability of the sector – As attention turns to delivering the ambitious housing and infrastructure projects, we are exploring whether the construction business model is fit for the future.
• EU negotiations – As we head into the next phase of the EU negotiations, we are ensuring that the concerns of the construction sector feed into our overall positions, especially regarding migration and regulation.
• Industrial strategy – Moving forward with the government’s renewed Industrial Strategy we need to take a view on how the existing Construction 2025 strategy – a strategy with wide industry support – should be taken forward and embedded in this new approach as a driving force for change within the sector.

To find out more about how CBI membership can benefit your business, fill out the form below.