Tim Clement is director of social value and sustainability at Morgan Sindall Construction
We are standing on the cusp of transformation, with shifts already happening because of our ageing population, strained social infrastructure, Brexit realignment and the rise of artificial intelligence, with all the automation it will bring. Any transformation can bring opportunity, but one other change has been happening for decades and is now accelerating: cutting our carbon footprint. For this development to be a positive force, it’s crucial that at every level of our society we start to consider how to deliver a ‘just transition’ for all.
“Our role is to organise stakeholders so that networks can be formed that include the voice of the affected community”
Moving to a low-carbon economy brings with it many opportunities for people and nature to thrive, particularly when it comes to the built environment. However, we have to acknowledge that it also carries the risk of negative social and economic impact for those who are most vulnerable or dependent on high-carbon sectors, and some of those impacts are already evident.
Approximately 6.3 million jobs in the UK, equating to about one in five, are likely to be affected by the transition to a green economy, according to the Place Based Climate Action Network, a five-year project focused on putting climate policy into action at a local level. The UK construction industry employs around 3.1 million people. So, as construction businesses, it’s important to make the just transition a key part of ongoing strategies.
Dialogue must be meaningful
Such a transition calls for proactive measures to assess and minimise the risks to people and communities, and to maximise the opportunities a low-carbon world brings. It requires meaningful and long-term participation between stakeholders, including workers, communities, suppliers, consumers, governments and businesses.
Many of the industry’s social value activities, driven through procurement by the 2012 Social Value Act, are temporary by design. The just transition, in contrast, is all about leaving a permanent, positive and targeted legacy in vulnerable communities, improving lives and building resilience in local businesses.
Addressing the misalignment between how the Social Value Act is deployed and the needs of local communities is about considering how a business such as ourselves – together with stakeholders and partners – can establish a longer-term legacy in specific geographical areas to enable local economies and people to thrive in the transition, rather than just to survive it.
Change is achievable by fostering an inclusive and meaningful dialogue in any chosen place. Our role is to organise stakeholders so that networks or panels can be formed that include the voice of the affected community. This group of stakeholders will also include local and regional government and policymakers, local businesses from our own supply chain and social enterprises or charitable organisations that support local economic resilience or wellbeing.
This systems-thinking approach enables important questions to be answered. It also allows new relationships to form to overcome certain challenges – such as barriers between people and technology or economic hurdles for local SMEs.
The activities that enable a just transition must be reviewed against clearly determined criteria, and social risks and opportunities assessed to determine whether activities align with community needs – such as creating opportunities for decent jobs and long-term enhancements to livelihoods.
Done well, collaborating can clear the path forward to ensure no one gets left behind. It’s about creating lasting opportunities for communities and building resilience in the face of change. The stakes are high, but so is the potential for progress.
