Fire Aware urges shared beyond legal compliance

Fire Aware calls for moral responsibility across the fire safety supply chain

Organisation urges shift from compliance to culture

In a recent post, Fire Aware Chief Executive Officer Gavin Skelly called for greater moral responsibility across the fire safety supply chain.

He said the organisation is seeking behavioural change from everyone involved in the industry.

Skelly explained that while the sector has faced a wave of new legislation and guidance, lasting improvement requires a cultural shift.

He stated that moral responsibility must underpin compliance efforts, warning that there is a danger of “compliance for compliance sake.”

Moving beyond regulation and silos

According to Fire Aware, the Building Safety Act 2022 represents a wide-reaching challenge for professionals across design, construction, and management.

Skelly said the scale of new obligations means businesses at all levels of the supply chain must cooperate and support one another.

He added that Fire Aware includes itself in this responsibility as a body offering advice and technical guidance.

The organisation said there is an opportunity to bring together expertise from across the fire sector to promote consistent standards of behaviour.

Skelly said: “We see an opportunity to unite the fire safety industry beyond its own silos.

“It is expertise that drives best practice, and consistency in behaviour is what will create lasting change.”

Code of conduct and charters introduced

To support this aim, Fire Aware has created a Code of Conduct alongside a series of charters for contractors, developers, designers, and local authorities.

The organisation said these documents are designed to complement, not replace, existing laws or professional obligations.

According to Fire Aware, its charters ask members to prioritise the safety of end users and to exceed minimum standards where possible.

The organisation said members are encouraged to identify as businesses that “care” about the wider community and safety outcomes.

Fire Aware described its initiative as a call to collective moral action within and beyond the fire safety sector.

Skelly concluded: “We are a community of businesses and organisations taking a stand in the name of moral responsibility.”

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

Fire Aware’s emphasis on moral responsibility is directly relevant to building designers, contractors, and fire-protection specialists working under the Building Safety Act 2022.

The organisation’s code and charters provide a framework for companies aiming to align internal practices with higher ethical and technical standards.

For compliance managers and building owners, these documents could help clarify expectations around duty of care beyond statutory obligations.

By linking moral accountability with practical safety outcomes, Fire Aware’s initiative highlights the growing role of professional culture in ensuring effective building safety governance.

This article was informed by information from the following source: Fire Aware