The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) has committed to support the Buidling A Safer Future (BSF) Charter by becoming a Registered Signatory.
The Government-backed BSF Charter, led by the new and not-for-profit entity, Building a Safer Future Limited, was formed after the Grenfell Tower tragedy to promote an urgent and positive culture and behaviour change in the safety of the built environment.
As a Registered Signatory, ARMA will uphold the five Charter Commitments, including a promise to be the voice of building safety across the sector. The leading trade association for residential leasehold management will also be able to offer its members exclusive access to BSF resources and provide content for the Charter’s education hub, alongside involvement in BSF Charter events.
Charter founders include Barratt Developments, Birmingham City Council, the London Borough of Camden and Kier Construction, among others. ARMA will join current signatories which include the RICS, local authorities, housing associations and building control inspector firms such as Assent & Premier Guarantee and Crest Nicholson.
Nigel Glen, ARMA CEO, said: “The high standards we expect of our members and our ongoing commitment to excellence across the property management sector means we are well suited to upholding the Charter’s stringent commitments.
‘After the Grenfell tragedy, the built industry is waking up to the fact there is a real need to improve building safety standards in this country. The Building Safety Bill is evidence of change, but there is no denying there is still a long way to go.
‘By supporting this Charter, we are helping to speed up the much-needed cultural shift towards building safety. We will be encouraging our members to consider supporting the Charter individually, and will continue to champion the Charter to the wider industry as a whole.”
In order for organisations to become Registered Signatories of the BSF Charter, companies must confirm their organisation’s commitment to being part of driving cultural change, demonstrate a strong and positive statement of support for the vision of the Charter and collaborate using the resources on the online community provided by the Charter’s Learning and Excellent Hub.
You can read more about the Charter here.
The Five Charter Commitments:
The BSF Charter’s five Commitments focus on protecting life and putting safety first ahead of all other building priorities. As a Registered Signatory ARMA will:
- Collaborate to spearhead culture change and be the voice of building safety across our sector.
- Be transparent in the interest of safety, sharing key information with residents, clients, contractors and statutory bodies in a useful and accessible manner in the design, construction and occupation phases of the process.
- Make safety a key factor of choice in who we work with, ensuring that building safety is placed at the centre of selection decisions without compromising quality or value for money.
- Ensure that the voices and safety of residents, visitors and employees are central in our decision making process.
- Set out and communicate clear responsibilities within our organisation and with our partners, ensuring everyone with a stake in the building during design, construction and occupation understand their role and has the time and resources they need to achieve and maintain building safety.
