Identity Consult has been recognised as the best SME in the North East construction industry.
The 2020 title was won against stiff opposition from a string of leading companies in the region in the prestigious, annual Constructing Excellence In The North East (CENE) Awards. And Managing Director, Mark Doherty says the achievement is a reward for everyone who has worked so hard over the past year to put the company in the top position.
He said: “It is a huge recognition for the hard work we’ve put into creating a company that aims to exceed our clients’ expectations and really invests in its staff in terms of training, job satisfaction and health and wellbeing. It also recognises the importance we can play in our local communities by supporting local charities and donating a percentage of our fees to good causes”.
“What underpinned our recent success more than anything was our investment in people development. Although this approach might have been seen by many as counterintuitive in an industry currently facing a challenging climate, it has been key to achieving our goals”.
“More than that, it has contributed to a growing sense of togetherness, which was invaluable in a period in which we grew our workforce by more than 20 per cent and opened a third office in Yorkshire, to complement our existing offices in the North East and the North West”.
“We consciously bucked the industry trend by really investing in our staff through initiatives such as monthly wellness payments, flexible working, monthly extended lunches to promote office team building and health and wellbeing”.
“Identity Consult is 15 years old next year and this is the second time we have won this award, which is fantastic.”
The CENE awards are the most prestigious in the North East’s construction industry and the importance of SMEs, (small and medium enterprises), to that industry was made clear to all entrants”.
“SMEs are the backbone of the industry and are recognised by Constructing Excellence for their dominance of and contribution to the supply chain. Department for Business Innovation and Skills suggest that 99.9% of UK construction contracting businesses are SMEs and some of the greatest innovation and best practice can be identified in this sector”.
A testimonial from CENE, as the award was handed over, said: “The 2020 SME of the Year has clearly demonstrated the benefits of agreeing and communicating a company vision down through the business, as well as monitoring progress and measuring performance to provide clear, reportable results. Employees have had the opportunity to influence the business by delegating initiatives up to the Board, resulting in increased engagement with the organisation. The increased profitability has then been reinvested into the business via training and development opportunities.”