FCSI launches new charter to combat bad contractor handover practice

The industry-wide code has been launched to stop 'inappropriate behaviour' at handover time, where the company that has lost the deal may be uninterested, uncooperative or even wilfully disruptive to the new contactor. Niccola Boyd-Stevenson FCSI, who led the FCSI working party which put together the Charter explains more: "The FCSI Handover Charter enables consultants to address bad practice from less than professional companies and will ensure that all parties have the clients best interests as the pinnacle focus throughout the handover process. "The Charter ensures the consultant can collate all relevant data on behalf of the client in advance of the handover process ensuring no undeclared costs or practices that will complicate the process at the last minute. "The FCSI will support the code by publishing amongst its members companies that either refuse to sign up to the code or have an unethical approach to its implementation – although it will be up to individual members whether they exclude companies from tender opportunities as a result of their actions." All professional member management consultants have been formally asked by FSCI (UK & Ireland) to use the Charter. Equally, all FSCI associated contractor members (including Sodexo, Compass, Aramark and a host of smaller contractors) are being approached to sign up as a pre-agreement to the tender process. Available to download from the FCSI UK website: www.fcsi.org.uk the Charter covers the timings, communication and handling of staff transfers, equipment and stock at contract handover time. It also recommends the use of a formal handover checklist, signed by both contractors and includes a handover template, Code of Conduct Compliance Checklist and a Post Tender TUPE Information documentation.