Ibstock, the UK’s largest brickmaker and leading manufacturer and supplier of clay and concrete building solutions, has achieved the highest level of accreditation with a newly launched quality mark from the Brick Development Association (BDA).
The BDA’s Brickmakers Quality Charter has been launched to promote the responsible sourcing of clay bricks, providing the whole UK construction supply chain with complete assurance that the highest standards have been adhered to during the manufacturing process. Clay brick manufacturers who sign up to the scheme are awarded a one, two or three-star rating, dependent on how many of the qualifying criteria they meet.
Ibstock is one of the first brickmakers nationwide to achieve accreditation from the new charter, achieving a three-star rating from the BDA – the highest possible level of accreditation. The certification is testament to the business’s longstanding commitment to quality and the ethical manufacture of bricks.
To register with the Brickmakers Quality Charter, Ibstock had to demonstrate compliance with and adherence to eight internationally recognised Critical Assessment Points (CAP), including Responsible Sourcing Systems (BES 6001), Health & Safety Management Systems (ISO 45001) and Anti-Modern Slavery Policy and Procedures (in line with existing national standards). Clay brick manufacturers who achieve the required standards will be awarded one, two or three-star recognition – a gradient system based on on how many CAPs they are compliant with.
Joe Hudson, CEO of Ibstock Plc, says: “The launch of the Brickmakers Quality Charter is an important step forward for the construction industry supply chain, providing a vital signifier for responsible clay brick manufacturing, not just in terms of quality but ethical standards too. I’m delighted to confirm that Ibstock is one of the first manufacturers to secure accreditation and join the registry, securing a three-star rating. To achieve the highest possible level of certification from the BDA is no mean feet, and represents both our investment in quality and commitment to maintaining the highest possible ethical standards across our supply chain.
“The launch of the charter comes at a pivotal time for the brick manufacturing industry. In recent years, there has been an increase in the volume of bricks imported into the UK from the global market, sometimes with little information available as to their origin, technical performance or how they have been manufactured. The Brickmakers Quality Charter provides the industry with peace of mind; providing a recognisable stamp of assurance that will ensure the UK construction supply chain can continue using bricks with full confidence they’ll deliver the high quality and performance they expect.”
