The new standard, which launched in 2022, is a British Standard for the built environment sector. Building on the globally recognised existing ISO 9001:2015 standard, it was developed in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the subsequent recommendations of the Hackitt Report to address the unique quality challenges of the construction industry.

The standard focuses on areas such as competence and design, to improve safety, sustainability and the overall level of quality in the construction industry, down to a granular project level.

Derek Geyer, head of quality, McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “This is a very proud moment for us as we have recently seen that BS 99001 is being asked for in tender submissions, PQQs and Frameworks and although it’s still to go through the official UKAS process, we didn’t want to wait to overhaul our management system and to prepare for a fundamental shift in how quality is managed in construction.

“To be leading the way as one of the first three contractors in the UK to achieve this shows our strong leadership, maturity and culture in the built environment.”

Owen Main, lead auditor, McLaughlin & Harvey, added: “Within McLaughlin & Harvey, we have a strong quality culture embedded in the business and this certification further reinforces our commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality management in everything we do. This certification is a result of the hard work and dedication of several departments.

“In reviewing our project at Wester Hailes High School, we demonstrated a clear approach to delivering quality throughout the entire project life cycle. As proud holders of BS 99001, this will provide greater assurances to our clients of the level of quality expected and maintained within McLaughlin & Harvey.”

The first stage of the process involved conducting a gap analysis of BS 99001 to identify the requirements for each additional clause specified in the standard.  Sessions with teams throughout the business were organised with strong collaboration throughout the process.

NQA then conducted a Stage 1 Audit on the existing quality management system, which raised actions.  

For Stage 2 of the Audit, the auditor needed to see BS 99001 implemented in practice. A visit to a new-build Passivhaus project, Wester Hailes High School, which is being delivered through the SCAPE Framework for the City of Edinburgh Council, was arranged. The auditor toured the site and spoke with team members about the quality measures implemented. 

Before the final report and certification were issued to McLaughlin & Harvey, NQA scrutinised the evidence to ensure it met the requirements of the standard.