Accreditations could be just the thing your business needs to improve employee retention and land new, reputable clients.
There are countless accreditations out there, and Acclaim is one of the best for the construction industry. But what exactly is Acclaim accreditation, and what does it cover? How can gaining Acclaim accreditation benefit you?
Keep reading to learn more about the Acclaim accreditation, SSIP, and how acquiring Acclaim accreditation can help your business.
What Is Acclaim Accreditation?
The Acclaim Accreditation is a member of the SSIP scheme (Safety Schemes in Procurement).
Health and safety is something that be at the core of any and every business - and gaining relevant accreditations demonstrates that you take health and safety seriously.
To gain the Acclaim Accreditation, you’ll be required to complete an assessment that consists of a variety of questions that you’ll need to accurately answer.
Receiving Acclaim accreditation is proof that you are educated in health and safety, and that you’re health and safety compliant.
It enables you to demonstrate that you have been assessed to the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 and that you meet the SSIP core criteria.
Some areas that the Acclaim Accreditation cover and assess include health and safety policy and arrangements and health and safety training. You’ll also be asked whether you have access to competent health and safety advice - which is something we can help with at Beaconrisk.
You’ll also be assessed on risk assessments and COSHH assessments (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health), and required to fill out information about work equipment procedures.
Another thing that Acclaim accreditation covers is contractor competence and accident reporting, which is especially prominent in the construction industry.
The cost of membership is affordable, starting at around £150 and rising to up to £600 - but this depends entirely on the turnover of your company per year.
What is SSIP?
SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement and is a mutual recognition scheme for health and safety - particularly in the construction industries.
It is not an accreditation itself, rather a membership scheme that has many accreditations within its body.
If an accreditation falls under the SSIP umbrella, it will save time, money and effort when it comes to gaining another SSIP accreditations.
This reduces duplication, as you’ll have already answered many core questions in the assessment in the prior assessment.
Not just anybody can become a member of SSIP - it’s the assessment schemes themselves that register with SSIP.
You can tell whether an accreditation falls under the SSIP umbrella as it will have the recognisable SSIP logo (which features a black font with a blue ribbon highlighting the ‘I’) on the certification and the assessment website.
Why Apply for the Acclaim Accreditation?
There are countless benefits to applying for Acclaim accreditation - one of the main beings that it proves that you are health and safety compliant and that you truly take health and safety seriously.
In order to qualify for the accreditation, you need to be educated on health and safety and the relevant processes involved - and you need to demonstrate that you understand and implement the correct health and safety protocol.
This is extremely beneficial as it can bring real value to your business, and prove to any existing and potential clients that you take well-being seriously. It improves our professional image and allows you to obtain clients that only accept those who have the best accreditations.
As Acclaim accreditation falls under SSIP, it’s easier than ever to obtain other SSIP accreditations - you won’t even need to complete all of the questions for new accreditations as you’ll have already completed them to gain Acclaim.
It’s a simple process with only 12 unique questions - none of which include any information that you’ll have already provided with your Constructionline application.
Acclaim is credible and a name that’s known throughout the construction industry, so having the Acclaim accreditation is a truly valuable piece in your arsenal.