Award News | McCann shortlisted for excellence in health, safety and wellbeing at the 2021 Construction News Awards

We have recently been recognised for our commitment to health, safety and wellbeing after it was announced that McCann has been named as a finalist at the prestigious 2021 Construction News Awards.

Organised by industry news publication Construction News, the annual awards celebrate the achievements of businesses and individuals within the construction, infrastructure and civil engineering sectors. Categories cover a range of areas including innovation, technology, community engagement, carbon reduction and health and safety.

McCann has been named as a finalist within the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Excellence (Company) category which recognises businesses that “demonstrate outstanding performance in health and safety between January 2020 and May 2021”.

The judging panel looks for examples of continual high standards within health and safety, with the ability to demonstrate tangible outcomes from initiatives and actions implemented to tackle mental health. The panel also looks for examples of commitments to staff training and exceeding client demands, innovation and business culture, projects which demonstrate high standards of health, safety and wellbeing, and a commitment to extending internal culture up or down an organisation’s supply chain.

Finalists alongside McCann include Ardent Hire Solutions, Fortel Group, Lorne Stewart and Network Rail – with the award ceremony taking place on Wednesday 15th September at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Speaking about our inclusion in this year’s shortlist, Managing Director John McCann is delighted with the efforts of the team and its commitment to achieving the highest standards during what has been a challenging time for the civil and electrical engineering industry.

“Health, safety and wellbeing has always been embedded within our working practices and processes because for us it’s not just about keeping our own team safe and well, it’s also about looking after those we come into contact with – whether it be stakeholders, our supply chain or members of the public,”

We have a proven track record for demonstrating high standards in health, safety and wellbeing after being named as a finalist at the 2020 Highways England awards within the Home Safe and Well Champion category. We have also collected the RoSPA Gold Award for Site Safety for six consecutive years – earning us the coveted RoSPA Gold Medal in 2020.

“Our ethos has always been centred around the fact that nothing is so important that it can’t be done safely,” adds John. “And our promises don’t just cover physical health and safety – our support also extends out to mental health and wellbeing,”

“Having the appropriate support networks in place for mental wellbeing is vital – and that need has never been greater than during the past twelve months with the switch to increased home working and long periods of isolation,”

In 2020 we launched our ‘Cycle to Spain’ challenge – a charitable initiative designed to encourage physical activity during lockdown among our team, with all proceeds donated to the NHS. Line managers also increased the number of check-ins with individuals via telephone and Microsoft Teams meetings in order to communicate the latest government guidance, discuss any concerns and stimulate positive mental health. All of this worked in tandem with our Employee Assistance Programme which offers guidance, support and access to specialist support materials.

“Being aware of and tackling poor mental health is an ongoing battle for many and our promise to our people – whether it be employees, or their families – is that we’re here for them whenever they need us. We’re a true family at McCann and we care about the wellbeing of our people both inside and outside of work,” adds John.

He continues, “We’re honoured to be named as a finalist at this year’s Construction News Awards alongside a number of our peers. I’d like to congratulate all of the shortlisted businesses and we very much look forward to sharing a special evening with everyone as we come together to celebrate industry excellence this September.”