Gaining and maintaining FORS Gold accreditation may seem like a significant investment, but to some of FORS strongest supporters it’s both business-critical and a positive statement about their commitment to operational excellence.
A number of FORS members have already celebrated their fifth year of Gold accreditation, and they remain as dedicated to the FORS Standard now as ever. To mark such a significant anniversary, we spoke to some long-standing Gold members about what FORS membership means to them.
David Fry – Operations Director, Hanson UK
“At Hanson, we take our social responsibility very seriously. Being FORS Gold accredited helps to illustrate our commitment to safety and sustainability to our customers and our colleagues, it builds on the legal compliance requirements we have to adhere to as an operator, and helps us to demonstrate compliance with other standards such as CLOCS.
“100% of our company fleet across cement, aggregates, asphalt and concrete is FORS Gold accredited and our drivers are trained in line with the FORS Standard. This also helps to underline our commitment to risk reduction for vulnerable road users.”
Mr Fry concluded: “Requests from specifiers for FORS accreditation is now nationwide and not purely London based as it was initially. Operating at FORS Gold level across the UK has meant that we have no concerns on the minimum fleet standards for tenders no matter where they originate.”
Jacqueline O’Donovan – Managing Director, O’Donovan Waste Disposal
“We are now celebrating our sixth year of Gold membership, and in that time, we’ve been able to ensure that we’re applying best practice to improve road safety. FORS has helped us to set clear objectives, raise the bar within logistics and achieve the buy-in of all our staff.
“We have adopted a combination of approaches, including vehicle modifications, training and an embedded culture. By ensuring that we provide our drivers with in-depth training and the most advanced safety-equipped vehicles, it follows that they are more confident in dealing with the challenges of driving on London’s increasingly congested roads.”
When asked what advice she would give to members considering Gold level status, Ms O’Donovan replied: “Attend all the workshops you can and become a FORS Practitioner. There are always new and innovative ideas being discussed that you can take away and apply in your own business. With the cycling revolution, and the changing landscape of London, FORS is more important than ever and is a clear indication of the operators who are committed to making their fleets as safe as possible.”
Paul Sheekey – Transport Supervisor, Brett Concrete
“We’ve been FORS members for over ten years and, in that time, have looked to them for advice on many areas, including compliance, training and specifying safety equipment on new vehicles.
“Our FORS Gold status came about through natural progression. Once we understood the depth of expertise that was available, it seemed logical to continue to improve our performance. Safety is a key issue for Brett Concrete and knowing our vehicles operate at the highest standards is why we continue to maintain our close links with FORS.”
FORS Gold requires operators to demonstrate that they are exceptional across a number of key best practice measures including professional development of their staff, having a strategy for introducing new drivers to the industry and reducing the noise output of their operation, as well as demonstrating meaningful improvements against the baseline data gathered in FORS Silver.
There are currently 233 FORS Gold members, working to the highest standards across the industry. This number is continuing to grow as operators look to prove that they are among the best of the best. For members that are looking to move from Bronze to Silver, or from Silver to Gold, there is a new, free to attend FORS Going for Silver and Gold workshop. This new workshop is designed to help those that may be applying for progression for the first time, or are potentially addressing issues raised in a previous submission.
To find out more about becoming a FORS member or progressing through the accreditation levels visit the website at: www.fors-online.org.uk
