Cara Group builds for success

Centre for Assessment helps Cara Group build for success

A ten-year working relationship between the Centre for Assessment (CfA) and the Cara Group has seen the construction company build firm foundations for its future growth.

The Manchester-based business is a multi-disciplined contractor, with Cara Construction providing services such as civil engineering, groundwork and concrete flooring and utilities, and Cara Brickwork delivering superior brickwork and blockwork projects.

Working as both specialist sub-contractor and principal contractor, the business’s partnership approach to working with clients is designed to drive best practice, innovation and safety across all its projects.

Cara began working with the Centre for Assessment in 2008 and since then they have worked together on over 20 successful multi standard assessments. “Centre for Assessment has played a key role in supporting our success in achieving and retaining the standards and helping us drive positive change within our management systems, culminating in a superior end product for our clients,” says Group QMS manager, Deirdre Brockley.

The group’s journey began in 2008 with the introduction of ISO 9001 Quality Management, followed a year later by both OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health & Safety Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management.

Specifically, ISO 9001 has helped Cara to meet customer demands, maintain and improve quality standards, and manage its UK supply chain.

OHSAS 18001 has helped to formalise our health & safety management system, improving the way in which the business manages risks and legal compliance, and reducing accidents. “Being a risk based system it helps us to anticipate potential hazards and implement preventative measures,” explains Deirdre.

The third standard, ISO 14001, has allowed Cara to identify the environmental impacts of its operations, and to put in place programmes and initiatives to minimise them.

“Working to these standards has proved invaluable and they are also an increasingly essential requirement when it comes to tendering for new work,” she says.

“Our accreditations have significantly improved client satisfaction and embedded a culture of continual improvement within the business. It has allowed us to control and improve efficiency, manage growth and create a safe place for people to work.”

Since introducing ISO 9001, Cara has also prioritised feedback from clients, giving them a better insight into the service they provide, and helping them to manage their relationships with customers.

“We average over 90% in satisfaction surveys with customers coming back to us time and time again because of our excellent track record of safety, reliability and quality of service,” continues Deirdre, “and the three ISO certifications play a crucial role in helping us to maintain these high standards for our Clients”

Cara employees have also embraced the standards, she adds. “Having a formalised approach, which sets out what is required from staff, from the business planning stage to the end product, helps our employees to offer a superior service, which in turn is helping them to drive the business forward, and develop their own careers.”

Find out more about management sysems here.