European Builders Confederation
Since 1990, the European Builders Confederation EBC has exclusively voiced the concerns, interests and suggestions of craft, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) active in the construction sector, which account for 99% of construction companies. These small companies, with their strong local roots, have always given absolute priority to the health and safety of their teams, a priority also reflected in their positioning at European level in favour of a legislative framework that is realistic but constantly optimised to ensure state-of-the-art health and safety at work.
Philip VAN NIEUWENHUIZEN
EBC PRESIDENT
Workers are the main capital of construction SMEs and crafts. Sometimes, employees are even treated as members of the family, which is an intrinsic motivation for small companies to take precautions to prevent potential health risks and care for their safety in the workplace. EBC wants to reinforce and update this commitment in light of a rapidly evolving digital age and make it more visible through the EU-OSHA campaign. We are fully committed to promoting a people-centred approach to digital innovation, robotization or automation, with a focus on SMEs, because without them a real and ambitious digital transition in the sector will not take off. Digital tools should demonstrate their added-value for daily construction tasks carried out by SMEs and crafts, particularly those that are repetitive, heavy or dangerous. As innovation is fast-paced, EBC aims to ensure that a human-centric approach underpins digitalization to guarantee that a gradual and inclusive digital transition is put in place and set in motion.