Developed collaboratively by major contractors and clients – including Kier Construction, Skanska, Lendlease Development, Keltbray, Careys and several others – Workforce Assured complements the existing Common Assessment Standard (CAS) by introducing a dedicated benchmark for workforce management practices across the construction sector. The standard has been worked on over the last 12 months, with over 175 active members.
Workforce Assured is designed to standardise and streamline workforce practices in an industry heavily reliant on temporary labour. Currently, 783,000 construction workers are self-employed or employed via agencies and intermediaries. Yet there is no unified assurance that all employers uphold fair and legal practices.
This new accreditation fills that gap by providing an independent, contractor-backed audit of how organisations manage their people, from recruitment and employment terms to on-site working conditions and payment of wages. By attaining Workforce Assured certification, companies demonstrate that they meet rigorous standards for ethical employment, which in turn reduces risk in the labour supply chain and protects workers from exploitation.
Dale Turner, Director of Procurement & Supply Chain, Skanska UK said, “At Skanska, we understand the vital importance of ensuring ethical and compliant employment throughout our supply chain. Recognising the need to go beyond the surface to verify how workers are onboarded and employed, we are proud to be among the founding members of Workforce Assured.
“By implementing this standard across relevant trades, we reaffirm our commitment to our customers and society, demonstrating that construction upholds the highest standards of integrity and responsibility.”
The scheme directly addresses several critical challenges facing the construction industry. These include chronic skills shortages, risks of modern slavery in supply chains, compliance with Corporate Criminal Offence regulations on preventing tax evasion, as well as workforce wellbeing and productivity. By ensuring fair recruitment, proper workforce engagement, and transparent payment practices, Workforce Assured helps contractors and their supply chains mitigate these risks.
“This is about doing the right thing for our workforce and our industry,” said a spokesperson for the coalition of contractors. “Workforce Assured will drive consistent best practice on issues like fair pay, labour exploitation and worker welfare – areas that, if left unchecked, hurt our people and our performance.”
The new accreditation complements the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) – the pre-qualification standard adopted across the sector – by focusing specifically on workforce factors that CAS does not cover in depth. While CAS has streamlined the vetting of suppliers’ capabilities in areas like safety, quality and financials, Workforce Assured adds a robust workforce audit to the process. Together, these standards provide clients and contractors with a comprehensive assurance of both a company’s technical competence and its commitment to ethical workforce management.
The accreditation process for Workforce Assured involves a detailed third-party audit of employment practices, covering:
- Recruitment & employment terms: Verification that workers are recruited legally and fairly, with appropriate right-to-work checks and clear, lawful contracts.
- Wages & payment: Assurance that workers are paid promptly and in line with legal requirements (e.g. minimum wage, holiday pay), with transparency in any deductions or fees.
- Workforce wellbeing: Checks on measures for worker welfare, such as health and wellbeing support, training opportunities, and channels for raising grievances.
- Modern Slavery prevention: Scrutiny of policies and controls to guard against forced labour or exploitation within the workforce and extended supply chain.
- Compliance & integrity: Confirmation of adherence to UK employment laws, tax compliance (including measures to prevent facilitation of tax evasion), and alignment with initiatives like the Modern Slavery Act and Construction Charter commitments.
By passing the Workforce Assured audit, companies signal that they uphold high ethical standards and treat all workers fairly and legally. This has wide-ranging benefits: a more stable and motivated workforce, improved reputation for employers, and greater confidence for clients and investors that projects are delivered by a responsible supply chain.
Ultimately, leaders of the initiative believe raising the bar on workforce practices will make construction a more attractive sector to work in, helping to tackle the skills shortage over the long term. “Delivering transparency and fair practices within the labour supply chain will make the construction sector a more appealing place to start a career,” the spokesperson added, echoing the scheme’s core mission.
Find out more: https://workforceassured.com/accreditation