Pledges and practice assessments
To improve the performance of the construction sector we need to change the culture. Network members are expected to support a better culture in the industry and are given guidance on how to do this through the Accord Network Pledges and the culture and practice assessments.
Accord Network Pledge
The Accord Network Pledge is a commitment to positive behaviours that support a high functioning sector that everyone can thrive in. The Pledge is based on Accord guiding principles, goals and outcomes and all members of the Network must sign up to it.
We commit to, or support our members, clients or stakeholders to commit to:
Increase productivity
- Always focus on quality
- Work collaboratively
- Support innovation in technology and processes
- Focus on value, not cheapest cost
Raise capability
- Foster the careers of our employees
- Support training to raise skills in the industry
- Adopt environmentally sustainable practices
- Share good practice information and lessons learned
- Uphold high health and safety standards
- Support the wellbeing of our people
- Embrace and encourage diversity and inclusion in our workplace
Improve resilience
- Be upfront and transparent about risk
- Fairly allocate risk
- Pay promptly
Build confidence, pride and reputation
- Be accountable for our actions and decisions
- Call each other out on behaviour that is contrary to the Accord principles
- Act with empathy and respect
- Promote the Accord and encourage others to commit to it
Specialist pledges – sector support members
Group two 'Sector support members' are also required to commit to a specialist pledge for their member type.
Legal Services
As a Legal Service member of the Accord Network we commit to:
- Promote the principles of the Accord through our work and in our thought leadership
- Raise client awareness of the Accord and its principles and purpose
- Actively participate in construction-related education initiatives
- Promote and support diversity among construction lawyers
- Support our construction clients to adopt innovation
- Work to find common ground for all parties to support positive outcomes and avoid disputes as far as is possible within our ethical obligations and client instructions
- Work to educate parties as to fair risk allocation where possible.
Product Suppliers
As a Product Supplier member of the Accord Network, we commit to:
- Sell or supply only quality products that conform to the testing and Building Code requirements contained in our product specifications
- Provide accurate and up to date information to our customers on our products
- Provide support to our customers on our products
- Where possible, work to reduce the amount of waste our business creates
- Work to improve our environmental sustainability and reduce our environmental impacts including carbon reduction
- Be able to provide our customers with information about the environmental impact of our products
Sector Organisations and Support Bodies
As a Sector Organisation or Support Body member of the Accord Network, we commit to:
- Support and promote the Accord vision of a high performing construction sector for the benefit of all New Zealanders
- Actively work to help champion the Accord and the Network among our members/stakeholders and the wider sector
- Work constructively with the Accord and keep the Accord informed of issues we are raising and addressing
- Share relevant Accord communications with our members/stakeholders
- Share relevant member feedback with the Accord
- Work collaboratively with other sector groups and think across the construction ecosystem
- Support innovation in both technology and processes in the sector
- Support our members/stakeholders to be environmentally sustainable and work toward carbon reduction.
Educators
As an Education provider in the Accord Network, we commit to:
- Ensuring we have processes in place to assess and improve our training to ensure that student learning outcomes meet industry skills needs and result in employment
- Regularly review our learning materials to ensure they reflect updates to regulations and keep pace with modern construction methods
- Support innovations in construction and in education by embracing modern learning methodologies and delivery mechanisms
- Ensuring students are supported with language literacy and numeracy (LLN) and digital literacy to equip them for life
- Support on-job education and experience for our students as a core part of our qualification delivery.
Network culture and practice assessments
Project delivery members
Group one 'Project delivery members' are required to complete a multi-choice self assessment of their practices around procurement, business practices, people development, health, safety and wellbeing, and environmental sustainability. The assessments are a tool for self-reflection and while members are not required to be operating at a certain level of practice, the Accord will make it clear what the minimum expectations of members are.
The assessments will also provide baseline information to the Accord on practices in the sector. The Accord will use the information for sector analysis only, and not to analyse individual organisations. If we can get accurate picture of where the sector is at as a whole, we can better target where more effort and support is needed.
Find out what topics the assessment will cover below. There is one question per topic.
Clients
Procurement, contract and payment practices
- Value vs cost
- Standard form contracts
- Risk allocation and market engagement
- Risk transparency
- Partnering
- Retentions
- Prompt payment
- Collaboration to manage risks
People development
- Skills development
- Employment standards
- On-site culture
- Inclusion and diversity
Health, safety and wellbeing
- Health and safety leadership
- Site Access Requirements
- Construction health and safety oversight
- Health and safety prequalification
- Reasonable timeframes
- Safety in design
Environment
- Environmental impact of construction projects
- Minimising carbon emissions through planning and design
General
- Industry engagement
- Technology
Construction Contractors and Specialist Trades
Procurement, contract and payment practices
- Value vs cost
- Standard form contracts
- Risk allocation and supply chain engagement
- Risk transparency
- Partnering
- Collaboration to manage risks
- Retentions
- Payment claims – subcontractors
- Prompt payment – suppliers
Business practices
- Project assessment when tendering
- Approach to technology
- Right skills on site
- Industry engagement
People development
- Employee career pathways
- Employee development
- Inclusion and diversity
Health, safety and wellbeing
- Site Access Requirements
- Health and safety prequalification
- Mental wellbeing
- Hours of work
- Bullying and harassment
- Safety in design
Environment
- Environmental impact of construction projects
- Minimising carbon emissions during construction
Professional Services
Procurement, contract and payment practices
- Value vs cost
- Standard form contracts – professional services
- Standard form contracts – construction contracts
- Risk allocation and market engagement
- Risk transparency
- Partnering
- Payment claims
- Payment claims – contractors and suppliers
Business practices
- Project assessment when tendering
- Issues and disputes
- Collaboration to manage risks
- Approach to technology
People development
- Employee career pathways
- Employee development
- Inclusion and diversity
- Diversity in architecture and engineering
Health, safety and wellbeing
- Health and safety leadership
- Health and safety prequalification
- Reasonable time frames
- Site Access Requirements
- Mental wellbeing
- Hours of work
- Safety in design
Environment
- Environmental impacts – professional development
- Environmental impacts – advice
- Minimising carbon emissions through planning and design
General
Network member reports
If you're a Group one member (Client, Contractor, Specialist Trade, Professional Service), once you've completed your registration and assessment, the Accord will send you a summary report of your responses. These will also show where you are meeting, not yet meeting, or exceeding minimum expectations.
Once the Network membership has enough responses from each member type, you'll receive a second report comparing your responses to how your peers responded as a group, and providing links to resources to help your organisation improve its culture and practices where needed. All reporting through the Network will be anonymised and no individual responses will be identifiable except your own organisation's.
Last updated: 26 May 2021
