SELECT has joined the Conflict Avoidance Pledge (CAP), which seeks to facilitate early resolution of potential disputes and promote collaborative working throughout the construction supply chain. By signing up, organisations pledge to try and resolve differences of opinion before they escalate into major contention.

CAP is a joint initiative by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Institution of Civil Engineers and other major professional bodies. More than 100 UK construction and engineering bodies have signed on to CAP, which uses conflict avoidance techniques to help contracting parties deal with differences of opinion.

Alan Wilson, managing director of SELECT, said he was delighted to add the trade body’s name to the signatories page.

“Disputes in the construction industry cost billions of pounds, cause immeasurable harm to business relationships and reputations, and are extremely slow and difficult to resolve,” he said.

“Such problems mean that projects are frequently delivered behind schedule and over budget, which adds further strain to an already stressful industry.

“That’s why we’re joining others to encourage collaborative working and the use of early intervention techniques to try and resolve differences of opinion before they escalate into full-blown disputes.”

CAP is developing initiatives to inform high-level decision-makers about the added value of these techniques, and how to access and use them.

In addition, the Conflict Avoidance Coalition Steering Group has developed a toolkit which offers a guide to best practice, tips for implementation and other useful advice on how to successfully implement the CAP pledge within an organisation. This has been shaped by feedback from industry partners to ensure it meets the needs of users in educating those throughout the construction sector about early dispute intervention.

Members of SELECT account for about 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland, ranging from design and manufacturing to testing and commissioning. SELECT’s 1,250 member companies have a collective turnover of approximately £1bn and provide employment for 15,000 people.