News

The Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW) is pleased to announce that BAM, our long-standing Ambassador Member, will once again be the proud sponsor of our Annual Collaborative Working Reception at the House of Lords, taking place on 13 May 2026.

This flagship event brings together ICW Executive Network members, industry leaders, and partners from across sectors to celebrate the value and impact of collaborative working.

Frank Lee, CEO of ICW, said: "We are delighted that BAM— an organisation whose values closely align with those of ICW and which actively champions collaboration and the positive impact it can deliver across the infrastructure sector—is once again supporting our Executive Network reception. Collaboration is most powerful when diverse perspectives are brought into leadership and decision-making. This year, we are placing a special focus on recognising the vital role that female collaborative leaders and practitioners play in strengthening partnerships, shaping inclusive cultures, and delivering lasting impact across projects, organisations and sectors."

Gillian Peters, Preconstruction Director (Infrastructure) at BAM UK & Ireland, who represents BAM on the ICW's Ambassador Members Board, will attend the reception, alongside colleagues and partners committed to advancing collaborative working across the sector.

This exclusive, invitation-only reception at the House of Lords provides a unique opportunity for senior leaders to network at the highest level, celebrate excellence in collaborative working, and explore the future of collaboration.

ICW looks forward to welcoming BAM, ICW Executive Network members and their guests, including leaders from sectors where collaboration makes a real difference, to an event celebrating the power and value of working together.

The ICW March Leaders Course held last week at Warwick University was truly an international affair, with delegates coming from Canada, Australia, Wales, and England to do the course.

The 7 Delegates are seen here with the course tutor Leigh Lawry and the Exam invigilator Dr Paul Connor.

L to R: Tom Bastians (Australia), Brianne Fox (Canada), Paul Connor , Russel Hunter (Canada), Marla Gerein (Canada), Dafydd Guto Carrod (Wales), Leigh Lawry, Richard Fraser-Williams (Wales), and Mike Hudson (England).

The successful candidates will automatically be enrolled into the institute and have the use of the post nominal MICW after their name.

The Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW) recently brought together a group of outstanding female collaborative leaders for a business lunch at the House of Lords. The event was hosted by ICW Chairman Lord John Hannett of Everton, along with ICW CEO Frank Lee.

The lunch formed part of ICW's ongoing commitment to collaborative leadership, inclusive partnerships and cross-sector engagement. Bringing together senior women from across sectors and our executive network, the session provided a valuable opportunity for open dialogue, insight sharing and the exchange of perspectives on strengthening collaboration and delivering lasting value.

Supporting Collaborative Leadership and Inclusive Participation

ICW has long championed diverse perspectives and inclusive collaboration as essential elements of successful partnership working. The lunch provided an opportunity to explore how ICW can continue strengthening its collaborative and inclusive culture, ensuring that talented professionals from a wide range of backgrounds feel welcome and represented within our collaborative community.

Key themes included:

• Encouraging member organisations to put forward talented female leaders to participate in ICW events, programmes and leadership initiatives.
• Strengthening the participation of women in collaborative leadership roles across sectors.
• Exploring opportunities to form an ongoing informal advisory group that ICW can consult as it continues to develop initiatives that support inclusive collaboration.
• The Value of Diverse Perspectives in Collaboration

A central theme of the discussion was the importance of collaborative leadership that draws on a broad range of experiences and viewpoints. Participants highlighted how organisations that actively engage diverse perspectives are better positioned to foster innovation, improve decision-making and deliver stronger outcomes across complex collaborations.

ICW is grateful for the leadership, candour and expertise shared during the lunch. These perspectives will help inform the continued development of ICW's inclusive and impactful collaborative community.

Building on Strong Foundations

The discussion also reinforced the strength of the existing ICW network and the organisation's ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for collaboration, leadership development and knowledge sharing.

ICW looks forward to continuing these discussions with its members and partners, building on strong foundations to support inclusive collaboration and strengthen partnerships across sectors.

We are delighted to welcome NRS to The Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW) Executive Network.

NRS is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority responsible for safely decommissioning the first-generation nuclear and research sites across the UK and restoring the sites for all our futures.

NRS also operates a hydro-electric power plant and are preparing to welcome the seven advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) sites, currently managed by EDF, for decommissioning. Hunterston B site, located in Scotland, will be the first AGR site to join NRS in April 2026, followed by the Hinkley Point B site, located in Somerset, in the autumn.

Dounreay, is located at the far north of Scotland and was Britain's former centre of fast reactor research and development. The experimental nature of many of its redundant facilities means the clean-up and demolition requires innovation as well as great care. The intention is to decommission Dounreay and leave it in a safe condition for future generations. The skills and enterprise it fosters are giving Scottish companies a platform to compete in the global decommissioning market.

Fiona Bruce, NRS Head of Commercial Strategy & Business Development, said: "At NRS, collaboration is fundamental to how we deliver our mission. As part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority group, we work collectively across our sites, our supply chain and our wider partners to safely, securely and sustainably decommission the UK’s earliest nuclear facilities.

"Joining the ICW Executive Network strengthens our commitment to building trusted, long‑term partnerships that support innovation, enhance capability, drive change and deliver greater value for our communities and the UK taxpayer. Through shared learning, transparency and a consistent focus on outcome‑based delivery, we aim to help shape a more collaborative culture across the nuclear sector - one that enables us all to achieve more, together."

Frank Lee, ICW's CEO said: "We are delighted to welcome Nuclear Restoration Services to our Executive Network. As a critically important organisation within the UK's nuclear landscape, NRS brings valuable expertise and leadership, and we look forward to working together to strengthen collaboration across the nuclear sector, delivering safer, more innovative and effective outcomes for the benefit of UK society and citizens."

A new chapter in ICW history was written at Sellafield this week, when Leigh Lawry and Paul Connor delivered an on-site ICW 44001 Leaders Course at Hinton House, Sellafield's Warrington Office.

All nine female candidates, who were drawn from the Sellafield group of Companies and their supply chains members, reached and passed the required marks to pass the course and be enrolled into the Institute as members.

The new MICWs are shown here with Paul Connor and Leigh Lawrey. They are (L to R): Lesley Sewell, Sarah Dockeray, Rosemary Gott, Helen Hughes, Valerie Slack, Aleksandra Radecka-Taylor, Terri-Louse Calvin, Laura Wood, and Hilary Craig.

Congratulation to you all and welcome to ICW.

The Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW) recently hosted an invitation-only working lunch at the House of Lords, kindly supported by Leidos, our long-standing Ambassador Member.

The event brought together senior leaders from across the UK defence industry, including representatives from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and government, to explore how stronger, more structured collaboration with SMEs can drive growth, innovation, and the long-term security of the United Kingdom.

Strengthening Collaboration Across the Defence Supply Chain

The event opened with a welcome from Lord Hannett of Everton, Chairman of ICW, followed by a keynote address from Adam Clarke, Leidos UK CEO. Adam highlighted the critical role SMEs play within the defence supply chain, emphasising that effective collaborative engagement is essential to unlocking specialist capabilities, strengthening operational resilience, and supporting sustainable growth across the sector.

Government Commitment to SME Engagement in Defence

The discussion was further enriched by insights from Lord Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for Defence, who spoke about the vital contribution of the SME community to the UK's defence capability. He outlined the steps the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is taking to make collaboration more accessible for SMEs, including the introduction of a single point of contact initiative, and recognised the important role ICW plays in enabling collaborative working between industry and government.

Enabling Effective Collaboration Through Best Practice

The session concluded with a Q&A led by Frank Lee, CEO of ICW, and Jaynie Davies, Director - Leidos Supply. The discussion explored how organisations such as Leidos are actively supporting effective collaboration with SME partners and showcased the breadth of support ICW provides to help SMEs and larger organisations build stronger, more productive collaborative relationships. This included insights into ICW's defence-focused forums, designed to support knowledge sharing and best practice across the sector.

Building a More Resilient and Inclusive Defence Ecosystem

ICW looks forward to building on the conversations from this event and continuing to support collaborative relationships that strengthen a resilient, inclusive, and innovative UK defence ecosystem - one that fully recognises and enables the contribution of suppliers of all sizes. ICW also provides practical resources to support effective collaborative working, including its dedicated SME Toolkit.

The Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW) is pleased to announce that Galliford Try has joined the ICW Executive Network, reflecting their strong and demonstrable commitment to structured collaboration and the adoption of ISO 44001 Collaborative Business Relationship Management.

As a major delivery partner in the highways and wider infrastructure sector, Galliford Try’s focus on collaboration certification highlights the importance of culture, behaviours and governance in enabling successful long-term relationships and delivering sustainable value across complex programmes.

Their participation in the Executive Network brings valuable practical insight to our cross-sector community of leaders from public, private and third-sector organisations, all committed to embedding collaboration as a strategic capability rather than a transactional approach. And their active engagement in the ICW Highways Forum, where shared learning, leadership dialogue and practical collaboration across the sector are critical to delivering better outcomes for clients, supply chains and communities alike.

Frank Lee, ICW CEO, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Galliford Try into the Institute for Collaborative Working Executive Network. Their commitment to ISO 44001 and to collaborative ways of working, particularly within the highways sector, aligns strongly with ICW’s purpose and values".

Glennan Blackmore, Managing Director for Infrastructure at Galliford Try, commented:
"As an organisation passionate about collaboration and the fundamental role it plays in successful delivery, we are honoured to join the Institute of Collaborative Working, a well-respected and established group of thought leaders and change makers who are committed to driving collaboration across multiple sectors. We look forward to getting involved and supporting in any way we can."

Explore more about the ICW Executive Network

We are delighted to be hosting 'Ideas in Practice; Supply Chain Summit 2026: Launch of the Collaboration Playbook, in partnership with Leeds University Business School. At the event we'll be introducing our new, co-authored 'Collaboration Playbook', offering practical frameworks, evidence-based insights, and real-world case examples to support collaborative working across sectors.

We will also address:

• How effective integration across modern supply chains can drive measurable value
• How organisations can improve performance and resilience while delivering wider benefits in sustainability, health and safety, and social impact

Date: 26 Feb 2026
Time: 09:30 - 17:00
Venue: Woodhouse Suite, University House, Woodhouse, Leeds LS2 9JT

Speakers include:

• Gareth Scargill, Director, Nexus at the University of Leeds
• Shirley Cooper OBE, Small Businesses Crown Representative
• Matt Browne, Deputy Director of Policy and Communication, Cabinet Office
• Frank Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Collaborative Working
• Dr Nicky Shaw, Senior Lecturer, Leeds University Business School

The summit was free to attend and included a networking lunch and drinks reception alongside a range of interactive programmed activities.

The link to register was sent to all members.

It was great for the Institute for Collaborative Working Highways Forum (ICW) hosted this week by Sisk at York Central - one of the UK's most ambitious brownfield regeneration schemes.

The £2billion+ York Central project will transform a 45-hectare site behind York Railway Station into a new mixed-use district, delivering up to 2,500 homes (including 20% affordable). Around 1 million sq ft of office, retail and hospitality space. A new urban park and high-quality public areas. Major transport enhancements, including a new western station entrance.

Sisk is leading the £150million infrastructure package, providing the essential backbone for this city-shaping programme. Their works include a 2km development spine road with new junctions, bus routes, cycleways and footpaths, plus major structures such as an iconic road-over-rail bridge and a new footbridge across the East Coast Main Line. The programme also covers extensive earthworks, utility diversions, sustainable drainage systems, landscaping, and a rail spur serving the National Railway Museum.

With a wide network of stakeholders - spanning government, developers, transport bodies and local partners - York Central exemplifies the complexity and opportunity that collaboration brings to large-scale infrastructure delivery.

The ICW Highways Forum were fascinated to see the progress and discuss how collaborative behaviours can enable success - while also exploring where challenges remain on multi-party, high-value programmes. The meeting was also a chance to agree Forum priorities for 2026, focusing on driving better outcomes through collaborative practice across the highways and infrastructure sector.

A huge thank-you to Sisk for hosting and showcasing this landmark project - a powerful example of what can be achieved when collaboration, capability and commitment come together.

Our CEO, Frank Lee FICW, was recently at City Hall for the 'Leading for London' Collaboration event, bringing together senior leaders from across the Greater London Authority Group to explore how we can deliver even greater value for London through more effective collaborative working.

We heard powerful insights from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, his Chief of Staff, David Bellamy, and other inspiring speakers, who reinforced the importance of partnership, trust, and collective ambition in tackling the challenges and opportunities ahead.

At the Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW), we are proud to support this vital mission. We know that collaboration doesn't happen by chance - it requires the right systems, processes, competencies, and culture to give it structure and enable benefits to be realised consistently and sustainably.

We are looking forward to continuing the journey together.