National Housing Maintenance Forum

Plenary 1 - Tuesday 10:00

Doing PC - politically correct or practical contracting?

The role of equality and diversity in delivering a better maintenance function

We live in an increasingly diverse country. Demographic trends and labour market needs suggest that this will continue to be the case.

At the same time the old “public sector message” of equal opportunities has become, for parts of the private sector, an opportunity for competitive advantage, with more inventive and creative workforces well placed to meet diverse needs and preferences.

So how do I end up looking at tender documents that display contractors’ excellence in meeting the technical brief but become as dull as dish water when assuring me that they won’t discriminate?

Equality and diversity isn’t about political correctness it’s about demonstrating that the creative excellence of developers and contractors and their practical know how can respond to the range of customers’ needs.

This session will make you reflect on your tender submissions and business practice.

Forget political correctness it’s about practical contracting and excellence!

Speaker - Professor Richard Tomlins