Operational
A central quality management system that complies with the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards is the key to mitigating operational risks. This quality management system is subjected to an internal and external audit every year, with the aim of identifying and implementing improvements. The certifications for various organisation components of Unica were extended in 2022.
To limit the legal and financial risks involved in the implementation of orders and contracts, one of the methods employed is the bid form method, the aim of which is to prevent imprudent commercial choices being made in the tender phase of projects. If the risks exceed Unica’s risk appetite, the Legal Affairs department supervises contract amendment or ensures that specific operational measures are recorded in consultation with the responsible manager and included in the project management. For each individual contract, key operational risks are registered in the project risk register so that any threats and the appropriate mitigation measures remain in the picture throughout the implementation stage. Evaluation is another fixed element of the risk management process, so that any disputes and costs of failure can be identified at an early stage and the implementation of future projects can be further improved.
Some of the orders to which Unica contributes are subject to a higher classification level in accordance with the General Security Requirements relating to Defence Orders (ABDO). Due to the sensitive nature of the client’s activities and the associated information, strict conditions apply to information security in the implementation of these orders. A National Security Team was assembled specifically to supervise such sensitive orders. Twice a year, this team organises joint knowledge sessions with the clients, to improve awareness and to ensure the sound management of the risks of sensitive orders. The best practices discussed and shared at these sessions prevent classified information being compromised.
A detailed impact analysis was already conducted in 2021, in preparation for the introduction of the Building (Quality Assurance) Act (Wkb). This new Act specifies, among others, that contractors must pay greater attention to the recording of information in the building files. This ties in well with the trend of increasing digitalisation and quality accountability, in respect of which Unica has taken a series of measures across the board. The Act was expected to come into effect in 2022, but has been postponed until mid-2023. Workshops were held throughout the country in 2022 to prepare the workforce for the introduction of this Act.
As one of the founding parties to the Governance Code for Safety in Construction (GCVB), Unica is a leading player in efforts to improve the safety culture in the construction and engineering sectors. Unica operates a zero tolerance policy on safety issues. To further focus attention on safety awareness, it is constantly brought to the attention of the workforce. As part of their introduction programme, new employees receive instructions on how Unica approaches safety within its companies. After reaching the second step of the Safety Culture Ladder in 2021, Unica prepared for certification to step 3 in 2022. The audits for the next step of this sectoral standard for safety awareness will take place in 2023.