ESSA’s bi-annual membership update

It’s been a busy few months here at ESSA, but first off, we extend a warm welcome to our newest members. 29 new members have joined us in the last six months - it’s great to see the ESSA community continuing to grow!

A stronger voice for suppliers through Better Stands

We continue to play an active and influential role in the Better Stands programme. In March, ESSA director Andrew Harrison, alongside several ESSA members, participated in a key Steering Committee meeting. Together, we were instrumental in shaping a proposed governance structure that we feel is both fair and future-facing, as it ensures suppliers and other relevant parties have a meaningful voice and are consulted as the programme evolves. It’s a really positive step forward. ESSA now has a strong and respected seat at the table and is influencing how this progresses.

Members training and tools for a greener future

Earlier this year, we delivered a series of in-person sustainability training courses to support members on their sustainability journey. Recognising that no two businesses are starting from the same place, these were delivered in two parts.

Part 1 introduced core sustainability concepts, including background theory, terminology, the language of carbon, reporting and overall awareness.

Part 2 expanded on the lessons learned in Part 1 for those looking to build their knowledge and take the next steps on their sustainability journey, with practical guidance on reaching net zero, embedding circular economy principles, avoiding greenwashing and much more.

To further support, alongside our Sustainability Working Group, we’re developing new, easy-to-use templates that will be available soon including:

• A Sustainability Policy
• An Action Plan
• A Sustainable Procurement Policy

Join our next Accreditation Convoy Cohort!

So far this year, we’ve supported ESSA members achieve 15 H&S and 15 sustainability accreditations, empowering them to create safer workspaces and implement better sustainability practices in their businesses. Our aim has always been to provide ongoing support every step of the way and one way we’re doing so this year is through our H&S Accreditation Convoys - a peer-supported, step-by-step approach to working through the process together.

Now on our fifth Convoy and led by our very own H&S superstar Josh Taylor, each cohort brings together a small group of six or seven members who are working towards their H&S Accreditation. The group meets monthly, with each session focusing on three or four sections of the process. Josh guides everyone through what’s required, offers practical advice and creates space for questions, knowledge-sharing and discussion.

Between sessions, participants work on those sections and support one another via a WhatsApp group, helping each other out and sharing the highs and hurdles along the way, building community, confidence and momentum as they go.

It’s all about making the process more manageable, less daunting and showing that you don’t have to go it alone. By empowering members to learn together, it helps break down barriers and make the whole process feel more approachable.

If you're ready to start your accreditation journey, our next Convoy is a great place to begin. Just drop Josh a message at josh@essa.uk.com to find out more.

Don’t forget, we also have a wealth of Health & Safety templates and guides available in the Resource Hub in the Members Zone. Tailored specifically to ESSA members, they cover everything from regulatory documentation to comprehensive risk assessments and can be found here. These templates are designed to provide practical support to streamline your processes while keeping you in line with industry standards.

And finally…
Quest Cover remains one of the most-used membership benefits, so if you haven’t tapped into it yet, it’s well worth a look. Our trusted partner offers free 1:1 support sessions to help you stay compliant across HR, Health & Safety, Legal, Tax and VAT.

Calls are confidential and available at a time that suits you, with no hard selling – just practical guidance to ensure your business has the right documents in place.

Don't forget, your membership gives you unlimited access to over 700 templates and business documents, with support on hand from Quest Cover to guide you through how to use them. Whether you're unsure about a policy or need a bit of advice, no question is too small. Find out more here.

As always, thanks for being part of ESSA, and if there’s anything you need, we’re here to help.