HM Revenue and Customs has racked up a record number of accolades for its work to ensure its hubs deliver accessible and inclusive environments for staff, according to a leading construction-sector body.
The Construction Industry Council said HMRC’s Croydon hub, which opened in 2017 as the department’s first new regional centre, had secured the organisation an unprecedented thirteenth “Inclusive Environments Recognition” under the CIC’s framework.
CIC said HMRC’s latest success at Croydon was in recognition of a retrofit of the building to achieve what it described as “the highest level of inclusivity possible, considering both the immediate challenges and the long-term benefits”.
CIC chief executive Graham Watts said the recognition was “a well-deserved record” for HMRC.
“As a retrofit this project provided an extra layer of complexity but once again HMRC rose to the challenge, continuing to demonstrate their continued commitment to creating exemplar inclusive spaces,” he said.
HMRC director of estates and locations Colin Cassé said the accolade demonstrated that the department’s commitment to deliver inclusive workspaces was not limited to its newest buildings.
“As our first regional centre to open, valuable lessons were learnt informing the inclusive design features of our later buildings,” he said. “I am proud that our ambition to create great places to work, which are welcoming, inclusive and enable better flexibility to serve our customers, has been fully recognised by the CIC.”
The Government Property Agency’s 23 Stephenson Street hub in Birmingham has also been confirmed this month as having achieved Inclusive Environments Recognition certification.
The hub, which has space for 1,700 civil servants from a range of departments, was refurbished from disused retail space in a 1950s building.
GPA chief executive Steven Boyd said inclusive design was simply good design.
“Creating people-centred environments are at the heart of what we do,” he said. “And driving forward this agenda across the government is leading the change we are seeing across the UK – where everyone we support has the space to be themselves, and to be productive, while at work.”
Earlier this year 23 Stephenson Street was awarded a top rating for “employee experience” in a benchmarking exercise conducted by property consultancy Leesman.