What is SSIP certification and how can it help you win tenders?
Winning tenders is a massive part of the success of a business. It’s also just as important to have a streamlined process that is beneficial for all parties, such as Safety Schemes In Procurement or what is more commonly referred to as SSIP. But what is SSIP certification and why is it so beneficial for businesses? If you need insight into the business benefits to help you secure more tenders, then you’ve come to the right place.
SSIP certification can be a defining factor for businesses in terms of saving valuable time and cutting costs on spending. The process of tendering for contracts can be over-complicated with a lot of duplication. SSIP eradicates those complexities, offering a streamlined process and with it, bringing plenty of business opportunities. Let’s take a look at how below…
What is SSIP?
SSIP is a non-profit umbrella organisation that pulls together multiple Health & Safety assessment schemes to facilitate mutual recognition. SSIP was formed through the amalgamation of these schemes to create a standalone model for SSIP accreditations. Participants of the scheme provide assessment schemes to contractors throughout the supply chain, illustrating competence and trustworthiness when it comes to contractors working in the supply chain to demonstrate compliance with Health & Safety regulations.
This streamlined approach benefits contractors, as it means they are not obliged to complete a full assessment for every member scheme they join.
What does SSIP stand for?
SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement and is widely recognised as the industry standard as it’s fully approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). SSIP members, like Smas Worksafe, will carry out the SSIP assessment, performing analysis on all Health &Safety areas, such as safety policy, training programmes and risk assessments.
Registering to be SSIP accredited will show others that you have committed to occupational Health & Safety practices by having vetted Health & Safety assessments that are up to standard with the SSIP core criteria.
Is SSIP an assessment scheme?
A common misconception is that SSIP is an assessment scheme but this isn’t the case. You cannot join as a member, rather the assessment schemes that comprise the SSIP are the registered members with mutual recognition of SSIP certification.
How does SSIP work?
Every member of the SSIP refers to a central framework known as the ‘SSIP Core Criteria’. This structural framework is the standard bearer for every SSIP member to adhere to. To obtain SSIP certification, a contractor must satisfy all points to demonstrate they comply with Health & Safety legislation.
Criteria defined in the core SSIP framework include:
- Strong procedures in place for appointing competent sub-contractors
- Adequate changing and eating facilities that aid employee wellbeing
- Efficient monitoring and auditing processes
- Arrangements for training to ensure employees are skilled to carry out their duties safely and effectively
The process is streamlined so that once you gain certification through one membership scheme, you won’t have to keep repeating the process to join each individual scheme.
The premise of SSIP is a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach that helps contractors access a greater range of work without having to worry about deploying resources to complete similar risk assessments. If you’d like to know about the specific criteria, our ‘What is SSIP’ blog covers this and more in greater detail.
Safety schemes in Procurement and winning tenders
Safety Schemes in Procurement: SSIP certification offers improved performance and benefits to your business that can help unlock doors to new opportunities which aid business growth. Here’s a selection of benefits that SSIP offers to help you start winning more tenders.
Work opportunities
We’ve touched upon the benefits of winning more work opportunities, but how? As SSIP is woven into the fabric of working Health & Safety standards across the UK, clients will prioritise working with contractors who can demonstrate commitment to Health & Safety. If your business doesn’t hold SSIP accreditation, then your credibility could be questioned if you’re going up against competitors who are certified.
When bidding for work, the competition for winning tenders is fierce. Many clients now request SSIP certification as a pre-requisite for tenders. Without it, your contract bid may not even make the final shortlist. But with it, your chances of securing work are boosted and you can start competing for the contracts that will accelerate the potential of your business.
Compliant with Health & Safety
As SSIP is HSE-approved, there won’t be any worries about conforming to regulations during inspections. SSIP accreditation demonstrates a commitment to Health & Safety compliance, and as it’s an accessible scheme available to contractors, it’s another string to the bow when it comes to crafting those all-important tender proposals and securing work.
Save money, save time
If your business can cut back on costs wherever possible, then it’s a no-brainer. SSIP removes the prospect of wasting money on duplicate assessments, so resources can be utilised elsewhere to elevate the growth of your business.
What is the Smas Worksafe SSIP scheme?
The Smas Worksafe scheme is one of the UK’s leading SSIP schemes. Our scheme provides your business with a defined set of questions that covers Health & Safety management, employee wellbeing, risk assessments and more.
How to get an SSIP certificate?
The questions should be answered and evidenced with relevant documentation to determine if your business meets the SSIP core criteria. If there are any areas that don’t quite meet the standard, we offer tailored guidance to help close the gaps in those specific areas, helping your business to attain SSIP certification.
Once your business meets these requirements, we’ll approve your business and provide the Smas Worksafe SSIP certificate. You’ll then be able to demonstrate your eligibility for a 12-month period and be granted access to our Smas Worksafe and SSIP portal to start winning more tenders.
Secure more work with Smas Worksafe
Our SSIP certification has tens of thousands of contractors signed up, and your business could be next. Become a Smas Worksafe consultant and help transform the Health & Safety of your business with our WorkSafe PQQ packages. We have a range of SSIP packages tailored to suit your industry’s health and safety needs.
Contact us today and speak to one of our experts to find out more. Let Smas Worksafe ensure your business is compliant and secure more tenders.