Nmcn : RISE award 2021 success

We are delighted to announce that we have received a duo of awards at the Research, Innovation, Sustainability and Enterprise (RISE) Awards for our FC500 Welfare Unit, which won the Sustainable Developments category, and our Providence App and support processes which won the Health, Safety and Wellbeing category.

The FC500 Welfare Unitis the first-of-its-kind - providing a sustainable alternative to the typical diesel generators or hybrid solar, low emission welfare unit options.

Produced in partnership with Genquip Groundhog, it incorporates HogCell, the latest concept in fuel cell technology delivering cost-effective and environmentally friendly, robust and easy to use mobile welfare office units.

Commenting on the win, Rob Walsh, our Plant, Transport and Accommodation Director said: 'It's great to see our first ever diesel-free welfare unit recognised in the RISE awards. Harnessing solar power in combination with a methanol fuel cell, the unit provides a world first in relation to welfare.

'The unit provides an immediate 100% reduction in nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and diesel particulate as well as offering reliable and economic power that is safe and silent. This will help us achieve our carbon reduction goals and support our ongoing commitment to the environment which is outlined in 'Our Impact' priority of our Positive Impact Plan'

Our Providence Appand support processes, which won the Health, Safety and Wellbeing category,were created and implemented to help identify and support mental health through the pandemic. The app helped to identify colleagues who were struggling by asking them a wellbeing question. People requiring assistance were signposted to help and offered support from a mental health first aider. Over the course of last year over 90 people were supported who were 'really struggling' and over 250 people were supported who were 'struggling'.

Ruth Hartley, Group Health and Wellbeing Manager said: 'We are pleased to have won this award and even more delighted to have been able to support our colleagues with this process which enables people to be identified and offered support more effectively.

'Since the launch of our Positive Impact Plan, significant resources have been devoted to developing our approach to mental health and wellbeing; however, the pandemic created a new set of challenges which the business worked on together in order to minimise their impact. Collaboration between our IT, HR, Communications and QESH teams made it happen.'

The winners were announced online on Friday 3 September and were hosted by Leeds Beckett University (The Leeds Sustainability Institute) in collaboration with the Technological University Dublin, Suffolk Sustainability Institute, and the University of the West of England.

The awards seek to recognise, celebrate and showcase exemplar case studies from the Built Environment sharing emerging best practice in Research, Innovation, Sustainability and Enterprise for new and innovative products, technologies, processes, projects and schemes.