Costain has officially opened its Supply Chain Academy, a new initiative that aims to support and develop small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The company welcomed 15 suppliers on September 3rd to attend the first of 20 modules covering business administration, commercial and financial best practice, insurance, health & safety, behavioural safety and quality.

The Academy has been launched to align the Company’s supply chain partners with the high standard of training and development adopted across the Group. The initiative is also in line with Costain Cares, the company’s vision to build a longer-term sustainable business that creates economic, environmental and social value.

The Company plans to hold two intakes per year, with the first intake due to finish in mid-December and the second intake expected to arrive in January 2013.

Richard Howell, Costain’s Head of Supply Chain, said:

“We take supply chain management relationships with our suppliers very seriously and this is a great opportunity for us to be able to give the organisations that we work with the benefit of our award winning training programmes.

“Over a three-month period the suppliers will pass through a structured programme of learning and development. The training will be provided free of charge and will hopefully allow them to emerge stronger, better equipped and a more robust organisation.”

Three of the modules will be delivered by Costain’s supply chain partners NG Bailey, the UK’s leading independent engineering, IT and facilities services business, and KPMG, the professional services firm.

Costain is a Tier 1 contractor in the UK water industry and is delivering AMP5 contracts to Severn Trent Water and Anglian Water.