Acorn Aluminium is taking a transparent and proactive approach to competency under the Building Safety Act, openly sharing its progress as part of a continuous journey rather than a one-off achievement.
Recognising that true competence is built on evidence, experience and improvement over time, the company continues to strengthen its internal processes, training, and documentation to align fully with the Act’s evolving requirements.
“Competency isn’t a badge, it’s an ongoing process,” says Paul Stevens, Managing Director at Acorn Aluminium. “We’re not rushing to make bold declarations. Instead, we’re building the right foundations, robust, auditable processes that demonstrate how we operate safely, not just what we say we can do.”
This year, Acorn has carried out comprehensive internal reviews across all departments to ensure that every role and responsibility is supported by clear, demonstrable competence.
Design, procurement and installation procedures have all been updated in line with the Building Safety Regulator’s expectations and the Gateway Two submission process.
Additional training has also been introduced for design and project management teams, focusing on the evidencing of competency frameworks and the digital ‘golden thread’ of traceability. These measures ensure that every stage of project delivery, from design through to completion, can be fully supported with documented assurance.
“Competence and compliance are now inseparable,” continues Paul. “We’ve invested in systems that make it easy to capture and store the evidence we need, not just for our own reassurance, but for our clients and partners too.”
Collaboration remains central to Acorn’s approach. The company works closely with main contractors and design teams throughout Gateway Two submissions, sharing technical documentation, structural calculations, and installation details to ensure total clarity and compliance.
“It’s about working as a team across the supply chain,” adds Paul. “We’re all part of the same process, and that means transparency and communication are essential. By sharing knowledge and supporting our partners, we raise standards together.”
Acorn’s ethos of open communication and measurable progress underlines its commitment to safety, accountability and continual improvement. Rather than waiting for regulation to dictate change, the company has embraced it as an opportunity to lead by example.
“The industry’s declaration deadline is an important milestone, but it’s not the finish line,” concludes Paul. “Competence evolves as projects, people, and standards evolve.
“Our goal is to demonstrate verified, proven capability, not just to meet the Act, but to ensure safer, better-managed outcomes for everyone involved in the buildings we help to create.”
For more about Acorn Aluminium, please call 0115 928 2166, email [email protected], or visit www.acornaluminium.com.