CIC has granted the Government Property Agency (GPA) ‘Inclusive Environments Recognition’ for their application of the CIC'S Essential Principles for creating accessible and inclusive environments to their government hub at 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham.
23 Stephenson Street is home to 20 government departments and was the consolidation of eight previous government sites. The building was originally a retail space built in the 1950’s which has been skilfully retrofitted to accommodate up to 1700 staff.
CIC’s ‘Inclusive Environments Recognition’ has a two-stage approach. The first of these recognises those organisations that are following the Essentials Principles Guide and honours them with a certificate valid for a five-year period, which GPA was awarded in 2022. The second stage acknowledges individual buildings or projects undertaken by organisations that have already received recognition at an organisational level from CIC.
The Essential Principles Guide for Clients, Developers and Contractors was launched in 2018. In order to for projects to be considered for recognition from CIC, organisations must submit the following evidence to show that they support the six essential principles:
- Appointment of an Inclusive Environmental Champion at Project Level
- Evidence that your Inclusive Design Strategy has been incorporated within the project brief and project budget
- An example of how the project procurement process has addressed inclusive design
- Evidence of the use of Access and Inclusive Design expertise and of consultation with diverse users
- Evidence of monitoring and appraisal of completed projects to assess outcomes and successes in creating accessible and inclusive environments
- List of any constraints that have prevented implementation of your Inclusive Design Strategy for example physical constraints of an existing building
CIC Chief Executive Graham Watts said of this project certifications; “CIC is delighted to be able to recognise the commitment the Government Property Agency has towards creating inclusive and accessible environments for their building users at the government hub in Birmingham. GPA overcame the challenges of retrofitting an existing building to make it inclusive and flexible to suit the needs of multiple tenants, going beyond the basic requirements. We look forward to seeing more of your projects as they progress”.
Steven Boyd, CEO at the GPA and Inclusive Environmental Champion, said: “Inclusive design is simply good design. Creating people-centred environments are at the heart of what we do. 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.”
For further information on the CIC Inclusive Environments Recognition Certification scheme please click here.
