ICW Collaborative Working Reception 2026

ICW Welcomes Corporate Members and Industry Leaders to Its Collaborative Working Reception 2026 at the House of Lords.

On a sunny afternoon that saw temperatures in excess of 37 degrees, we welcomed our Corporate Members, including senior leaders from industry and government, and collaboration professionals, to the ICW Collaborative Working Reception 2026 at the House of Lords on Friday 26 June. Hosted by Lord John Hannett OBE, Chairman of ICW, the annual reception celebrated the value and impact of collaborative working, strengthening relationships across sectors and recognising individuals and organisations that are making an outstanding contribution to collaborative practice and delivery.

The reception reflected ICW's and its membership’s ongoing commitment to advancing collaborative working, strengthening capability and promoting the leadership, behaviours and standards that enable organisations to achieve better outcomes through effective collaboration.

Launch of The Partner 2026

A key moment of the afternoon was the official launch by Frank Lee, CEO, of the 2026 edition of The Partner, ICW's flagship annual publication.

Shaped by contributions from our Ambassador Members, Corporate Members and wider expert network, The Partner brings together practical insights, case studies and thought leadership in a concise, accessible format, helping organisations strengthen collaboration and deliver better outcomes.

Collaboration in Action

Guests heard an inspiring keynote address from Adrian Collins, Director of Energy Networks Scotland at BAM UK & Ireland, who demonstrated how effective collaboration is helping organisations address increasingly complex national infrastructure challenges.

Drawing on BAM's successful partnership with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and Siemens Energy under the Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) programme, Adrian illustrated how effective collaborative relationships are helping accelerate the delivery of critical energy infrastructure while creating better outcomes for customers, communities and the UK.

The reception also welcomed Matt Page, Senior Vice President, EMEA Assurance at BSI, who introduced BSI's Standards for Society initiative. The initiative aims to make key people-focused workplace standards more accessible by providing organisations with free access to selected standards and associated training. As part of this initiative, ICW Corporate Members will benefit from enhanced access to valuable standards that support organisational excellence and collaborative capability.

Celebrating Collaborative Achievement

The reception also celebrated collaboration champions and organisations whose commitment to collaboration continues to raise standards across industry. Congratulations to this year's remarkable award recipients:

• Collaborative Champion 2026 - Valerie Elliott, FICW
• Collaborator of the Year 2026 - Dr Ghaith Al-Werikat, MCIOB, CSM
• ICW Fellowship - Catherine Buckley, BEng, BA, AXCS , FICW
• ISO 44001 Certification - Lower Thames Crossing tunnelling team (Murphy and Bouygues Construction)

These awards recognise exceptional leadership, professional excellence and commitment to embedding collaborative working principles across organisations and sectors.

Thank You to Our Event Sponsor

ICW extends its sincere thanks to BAM UK & Ireland, our valued Ambassador Member and sponsor of the 2026 Collaborative Working Reception, for its continued support and commitment to advancing collaborative working across industry.

Thanking our Members and their Commitment to Collaboration

We also thank every member, partner, and guest who joined us in a spirit of collaboration and camaraderie to connect, share insights, and celebrate the achievements of our collaborative community. Together, we will continue to champion collaborative working, to create lasting value and deliver positive outcomes for organisations, people, and society.