16 January 2015
Those of you that have either read comment pieces from me over the past year, or have attended events that I have spoken at, will know that I'm excited by the prospect of what we can achieve here at BIFM.
I believe in the positive impact that FM can have in any organisation and I also hold that belief for our professional body.
In 2014 we demonstrated some of the potential, but as we move into the New Year we must start to deliver the value necessary to support the profession as it continues to evolve.
If last year was about adjusting our offer and positioning ourselves as an organisation then next year is about the development of that work and taking it that much further. An example of this is our conference, which was a great success last year. But we must enhance the delivery and content of the next one in May if we are to keep up the momentum. Having announced the theme, we are confident we will do this and by linking the world of FM to the competitive edge of an organisation we can again demonstrate the relationship between the people and place.
This also sits at the heart of our collaboration with CIPD and you will begin to see some externally focused activity in 2015 following a number of months where we have been shaping the project and speaking with organisations and thought leaders on the future of the workplace. It's a hot topic and one that is bringing FM into the spotlight for business leaders.
Our list of partners continues to grow with work taking place with CIPS and other organisations that represent specific business communities or also those within the built environment. This will be crucial to support our growth; FM is linked to so many parts of organisations and by working with other professional bodies we are able to connect common challenges and trends, which in turn should help to create connections around the workplace.
In summary, BIFM will continue to build on this year's great work during 2015 and I hope that as many of you as possible will join us on the journey - it promises to be a very exciting year!
Julie Kortens is chairman of the BIFM