The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has launched a new three-year compass for the association. 

The ACE Blueprint 2022-25 outlines the focus areas for the organisation which represents the businesses that design, deliver and manage our national infrastructure and built environment.

The six thematic areas, People, Social Value, Excellence, Risk, Innovation, and Association, provide ambitions for the industry, focus for membership management, as well as a filter for future activities endorsed by the board. 

The Blueprint will be complemented with three annual plans which will outline tangible deliverables and KPIs. This will be overseen by the ACE board which will ensure the association is targeted, focused and impactful in its delivery.

Stephen Marcos Jones, ACE CEO, said: “This is an exciting time for ACE and its members as we reenergise the business association and our Blueprint provides a positive framework for future success. The team is looking forward to adding more detail through annual plans which will ensure we are delivering a focused strategy with our members’ interests firmly at its core.

“Whether building a diverse and inclusive workforce, conveying social value, improving procurement practices, rethinking risk, encouraging new technology and innovation, or ensuring ACE and EIC’s advocacy reach at national and regional levels, this Blueprint will ensure that we are focused on delivering our vision for a safe, innovative, resilient and globally competitive UK built environment sector.

“With the government already committed to billions of pounds of infrastructure spending, the implementation of the Blueprint will support our members to unlock the potential of forthcoming investments in ensuring our national transport, energy, flood resilience, water, waste and digital networks are fit for the future.”

To deliver the thematic areas in the Blueprint, and to ensure a targeted approach to its advocacy, ACE is also introducing a new group structure. This includes the creation of two new Advisory Councils – one for large members and another for SMEs – alongside new Advocacy Groups focusing on Climate Change, Procurement, Places, Transport and Mobility and People. These groups will work alongside member-facing groups (HR forum, Health & Safety, Legal & Commercial) and the regional/national groups (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Midlands and North West).

As well as picking up elements of the Future of Consultancy work, the new groups will help ACE to forge purposeful and collaborative relationships with Government, devolved parliaments, regional assemblies and metro mayors, as well as with industry stakeholders.

Guto Davies, ACE head of policy, said: “Our members face multiple challenges in adapting to a post-pandemic world. Our policy and advocacy is no different, and we too must adapt our approach. Alongside our new Advocacy Groups, the Blueprint will ensure we are ready to promote the views of our members and the wider industry, clearly and convincingly, to government across the UK.”

In a blog published on both Infrastructure Intelligence and the ACE website, Marcos Jones added: “Our new Advisory Councils will ensure more of our members have both a voice and means to engage with our advocacy, member support and activity of ACE more generally. Our new Advocacy Groups will ensure the policy asks of today unlock the business opportunities of tomorrow.”

Click here to download the ACE Blueprint 2022-25.