The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has been recognised for its work in four different areas at this year’s prestigious Trade Association Forum (TAF) Best Practice Awards
Supported by the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Best Practice Awards are in their 19th year and are designed to recognise and reward the excellence, innovation, and best practice demonstrated by UK trade bodies.
BESA has been shortlisted in the following categories:
- Digital Transformation
- Training Initiative
- Event of the Year
- Sustainability Initiative
The awards ceremony to announce the winners will be held on 17th February 2022 in London.
“We are absolutely delighted to have gained such comprehensive recognition at these important awards,” said BESA’s chief executive officer David Frise.
“The fact that these categories reflect so many different aspects of BESA’s work is an amazing testament to the hard work of the staff in all areas. We are very proud of being such a broad-based association and that we provide a wide range of support services to our members right across the spectrum of building engineering.”
A “digital revolution” – Digital Transformation
BESA has gone through a “digital revolution” and the judges have recognised this.
The way BESA conducts business, interacts with colleagues, engages with members, and delivers products and services has been transformed under the new digital model.
As a result, operating efficiency has gone up which has had a positive knock-on effect on achieving sustainability targets – hence its shortlisting in the Digital Transformation category.
Flexible and comprehensive – Training Initiative
By establishing an online BESA Academy, the association can deliver a comprehensive programme of training courses, assessments and CPD for individuals, employers, and training providers.
The digital platform is used for online learning and offers hybrid working.
Given the severe skills shortage in this sector, these are critical services.
BESA has also been shortlisted for the TAF Training Initiative award.
Dazzling – Event of the Year
The 2021 BESA National Conference was a multi-stream, free to attend virtual conference.
It was attended by nearly 500 delegates.
67 speaker provided more than 21 hours of exclusive content.
Architect and TV star George Clarke opened the event which boasted a virtual exhibition, member clinics and networking opportunities.
The TAF Best Practice Awards shortlisting panel put it forward for the Event of the Year award.
‘Ahead of the curve’ – Sustainability Initiative
The final category that BESA has been nominated for is the Sustainability Initiative category.
BESA has been recognised for the achievements of its REFCOM Elite scheme, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.
REFCOM Elite was set up as a best practice company registration scheme in 1996 to promote environmentally responsible refrigerant management.
Very early on BESA were aware of the need to improve the control of refrigerant use to reduce ozone depletion and global warming.
REFCOM was ahead of the curve.
The world is now focused on global warming and its disastrous implications, but REFCOM were making changes long before it was mainstream.
TAF recognised this.
In fact, due to implementing best practice to reduce emissions early on, REFCOM has made excellent progress in its 25 years.
‘Recognise excellence’
Emily Wallace, interim chief executive of the Trade Association Forum, congratulated BESA saying:
“Trade Associations such as BESA have played an absolutely critical role in supporting the UK economy throughout the turbulence of the last two years.
“As we move forward, it is right to celebrate the achievements of the sector, recognise excellence and collaborate to improve the role that associations can continue to play to support the economy for the future.”
