APM’s Gill Hancock recognised for industry leadership in the built environment

Gill Hancock, Head of Technical Content at Association for Project Management (APM), has been included on the New Year Honours list of FIS, the representative body for the finishes and interiors sector in the UK.

Gill (pictured) is one of four people recognised by FIS for “driving competence through industry leadership”. She has been a leading force in the work to improve safety in the built environment following the Grenfell Tower disaster. Her achievements include being elected co-Chair of the Industry Competence Steering Group, which has enabled culture change in relation to competence across the built environment in the UK. It does this by providing the industry access to consensus agreed competence frameworks, guidance and routes to competence.

The finishes and interiors sector in the UK accounts for approximately 10% of all construction work, with £12 billion in turnover annually and employing approximately 250,000 people. FIS supports its members to improve safety, minimise risk, enhance productivity and drive innovation in the sector.

Describing her reaction to being named on the FIS list, Gill said: “Surprise initially and then quite humbled. It’s great that the work we’re doing across the built environment, including project management, is being recognised.”

While Gill feels there has been positive change around competence in construction projects, she says there is still more to do and remains committed to working with the ICSG and the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) to drive further change.

She commented: “Changing the competence and perceptions of competence across the built environment is a huge challenge given the size and nature of the industry. I don’t think there will be a ‘big bang effect’ around competence, but more of a steady progressive change.

“There’s more work to be done on implementing the frameworks and improving competence as well as clear methods for people to demonstrate their competence. These form key strands of work for the ICSG and ICC.”

See the full FIS New Year Honours list here.