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Social responsibility and construction

The UK construction industry has responded slowly to the Social Responsibility agenda Construction, carried out in a socially responsible way, provides society with numerous benefits:

• Functional and aesthetic designs make day to day life easier and more enjoyable.
• It plays a crucial role in ensuring good health and well being.
• A well designed facility or neighbourhood helps prevent crime.
• It provides people with a sense of identification with their home, neighbourhood, and city.
• The industry provides employment for 3 million people and it accounts for 10 percent of GDP.

Unfortunately, construction activities can often result in unnecessary social costs.

• Badly designed and built houses cause ill health.
• Housing or whole neighbourhoods are designed without the real involvement of local people leading to a mismatch between actual demand and housing supply.
• Lack of involvement and transparency can lead to costly and unnecessary delays due to planning problems or direct action.
• More workers are killed or injured in construction related accidents than in any other industry.
• Construction sites are often seen as noisy, disruptive neighbours.
• Poor designs spoil the look and identity of neighbourhoods and cities.

There are a number of initiatives in the construction industry which have been influential in promoting Social Responsibility but despite these the construction industry still has a long way to go.

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