National standards body, the British Standards Institute is seeking industry views to help shape a new British Standard (BS 11000) for collaborative business relationships.
A draft British Standard BS 11000 for collaborative business partnering is now out for public consultation and builds upon PAS 11000, developed by BSI with government and procurement professionals, which has helped organizations establish and improve partnering in the public and private sectors.

Earlier this year, EMCOR Group UK was on of five companies to become the first in the UK to achieve PAS 11000 certification from BSI after the firm was audited in a pilot certification programme.

The new British Standard looks to expand PAS 1000 further, addressing wider business sectors and aspects of partnering relevant to small and medium-sized enterprises. Industry associations and individual organizations involved in all types of collaborative business relationships across the UK are now being encouraged to participate in the consultation.

The building services industry is already painfully aware of the need for greater collaboration and a rejection of 'siloed thinking' in order to get jobs done well. 'Teamwork is vital to deliver low energy buildings and greater collaboration is needed to achieve it' said CIBSE's president Rob Manning speaking at the AGM of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

He added: 'I believe we must recognise all the individuals who make up the project teams. The only way we can meet the demands of comfort, environmental and safety aims, cost and time is to have the right people with the right interests in the project teams from the beginning'.

The president also said the industry would be better placed to succeed in meeting its commercial, social and environmental objectives through a team approach enabled by collaborative contracts and appointments. He said the industry must look at collaborating in order to improve education and training opportunities and to ensure that the industry attracts the engineers of the future.

Mike Low, director of BSI Standards said: 'Both business and the public sector are increasingly working in open environments with collaboration seen as an increasingly effective business model for organizations to work together. I would encourage all those interested to examine this draft standard and provide us with their comments.'

The consultation deadline is July 31, 2010. Publication of BS 11000 is expected in Q4 2010.

You can view and comment on the draft standard, BS 11000, by clicking here