Hello! And welcome to our second edition of the Conflict Avoidance Newsletter. Read on to hear what we've been working on and how you can get involved.

At this time of year, I hope many of you can enjoy some time away from the site, the office, or the screen in the spare bedroom. I am conscious I am in a privileged minority who enjoy such benefits. Once we return from our breaks, I hope we can all share in telling the story of Conflict Avoidance. Many of our organisations are rightly speaking into subjects such as Climate Change, the Building Safety Act. I believe now is the right time to add “Conflict Avoidance” to the conversation.

I hope that throughout the Autumn and into next year we can be invited to present around the UK to meetings and events organised by CIArb, CIOB, CICES, ICE, RIBA, RICS, SCL and so on. We are currently designing a standard presentation template for these events and, where possible, we should try and put forward a client representative on to discussion panels.

We currently have 4 key client organisations amongst our membership:

• Network Rail
• The Environment Agency
• Transport for London
• Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority.

I believe it’s the Client who sets the tone or culture of the project. Client influence includes conflict avoidance and conflict management strategies that are intertwined within the governance of the project.

I have been asked to speak at the ICE in early 2026 on the subject of “Can Dispute Boards and the Conflict Avoidance Pledge Really Prevent Conflict – or Just Delay It?”

Maybe you can help do something similar in your region? If you need help, then do contact the Steering Group via info@conflictavoidance.org. Once an event is in the diary, please help to publicise it at https://conflictavoidance.org/events/future.

Richard Bayfield, Chair

The CAC website is fully operational at conflictavoidance.org. Visit the Media Section for a wealth of articles on Conflict Avoidance – ideal for sharing with clients and colleagues. Everything you want to know about the process is there.

As at today, we have 170 Pledge Signatories. Please ensure you refresh your Pledge Signature.

We’re pleased to welcome new signatories: 

• Federation of Master Builders
• National Federation of Builders
• Bouygues
• Balfour Beatty Rail
• Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors

A sub-group of the CAC has been piloting outreach to Signatories, offering support to embed conflict avoidance measures (such as CAP) into business strategies. One organisation has already requested a discussion on conflict avoidance for their contract and commercial managers to ensure everyone understands and engages with the cultural change.

Significant progress is being made to promote the Pledge and conflict avoidance across the UK, including:

• Endorsement from the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Construction Leadership Council (CLC)
• Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) webinar featuring conflict avoidance in their Best Practice Guide
• RICS Podcast #233 on CAP, featuring CAC’s Martin Burns (RICS) and Jim McCluskey (Kier Nuclear)
• Interest from Constructing Excellence Midlands to join the Coalition (Board approval expected October)
• Discussions with Glasgow Caledonian University to present Conflict Avoidance modules to LLM/MSc students.
• David MacDonald (formerly of Scottish Futures Trust) reports incorporation of CAP into a major Glasgow project
• Finishes and Interiors Sector publishes a 500-word building contract with CAP mandated
• CIArb launching a programme to raise CAP awareness across UK and international membership.

Spotlight project

We were delighted to hear from The St Margaret of Scotland Hospice in Glasgow who report that they have recently incorporated the Conflict Avoidance Process into a £5 million refurbishment project. They describe it as a demonstration of willingness to engage and to engender a spirit of partnership and collaboration from the outset.

Upcoming events

• FIS Webinar: Improving business relationships and avoiding disputes with simplified contracts - 25 Sept
• Association of Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) webinar - 15 Oct
• Adjudication Society Conference - presentation by CAC President, Len Bunton (20 November)

Latest news and articles

• NEC4 Contract: Conflict Avoidance Z Clause - A commentary on the Practice Note published by NEC earlier this year. By David Hunter

We’re in discussion with various organisations to participate in their regional meetings. Examples include CIArb, SCL, RICS, and the Adjudication Society. If you’re involved with other groups and would like a CAC presentation on conflict avoidance, please get in touch.  

The Contract Group promotes contract standardisation in construction, advocating for fair, balanced standard form contract, with minimal and project-specific amendments. The Group now has 25 members from across the trades and professions. New members are always welcomed - get in touch if you'd like to join.

Recent past events

28 March 2025 - Responsible Contracting Roundtable 

28 April 2025 - International Underwriting Association and Construction Leadership Council PII working group conference 

Upcoming activities

• Roundtable with a major law firm to discuss the reasons why businesses routinely, and excessively, amend standard form building contracts.
• Article on the Contract Group to appear in the Constructing Excellence newsletter (September)

We'd love you to join us! Keep up to date with what we're working on, hear from other professionals, and get involved with our work. Our online meetings take place on the first Tuesday of every month at 09:30 (GMT).

Join the meeting (Meeting ID: 365 507 773 422 / Passcode: EG3Eu2iF)

Key contacts: richard@bayfields.com (Chair) / len@buntonconsulting.co.uk (President)

Please forward this newsletter to colleagues and friends who may be interested.  If you'd like to join the coalition please visit our website to sign the Pledge and become a coalition member. There's no charge - it's free to sign and join us.