The #PPEthatfits campaign, led by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and supported by Construction Management, has won Best Lobbying Campaign at the 2026 MemCom Excellence Awards.
The award, presented at the MemCom Awards ceremony in London on 24 September, recognises the campaign’s progress from raising awareness of ill-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) to influencing standards, political debate and industry practice.
The campaign was launched by CIOB to highlight the safety and inclusion implications of PPE that does not properly fit a diverse workforce. Construction Management has supported the campaign through sustained editorial coverage, including articles, interviews, videos, podcasts and a round table, helping to keep the issue on the construction industry’s agenda.
A key milestone came in September 2025 with the publication of BS 30417:2025, Provision of inclusive personal protective equipment (PPE) – Guide.
The BSI standard provides guidance on selecting and providing PPE that meets the needs of a diverse workforce, including consideration of body shape, gender, cultural requirements and disability. It also covers procurement, training, maintenance and replacement.
The campaign has subsequently contributed to political debate around inclusive PPE.
In 2024, Labour MP Emma Hardy referenced #PPEthatfits in Parliament while introducing the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Bill. More recently, Kirsteen Sullivan MP introduced a Ten Minute Rule Bill calling for PPE used across the public sector to meet inclusive design standards, including BS 30417 or an equivalent recognised standard.
The issue has also reached government procurement discussions. In March 2026, Cabinet Office minister Chris Ward told Parliament that the government supported inclusive PPE and that central government commercial teams had seen increased provision of inclusive PPE across major programmes and projects.
The campaign has meanwhile helped drive changes in industry. The award entry points to examples including AtkinsRéalis introducing more adaptable head protection, inclusive PPE being made available to workers on the Sizewell nuclear project and the Considerate Constructors Scheme requiring inclusive PPE for women on its registered sites.
The campaign also established the PPEthatfits.com website, including a directory of suppliers of inclusive PPE, providing a practical resource for employers and procurement teams. The platform has attracted more than 7,000 users, while campaign coverage in Construction Management has attracted a similar number of readers.
The campaign was originally co-launched by CIOB People, which was subsequently absorbed into Construction Management in 2025.
CIOB’s LinkedIn post celebrating the award specifically thanked the Construction Management editorial team for its role in keeping the issue visible, alongside Sandi Rhys Jones OBE, FCIOB, who championed #PPEthatfits during her presidency of CIOB and has continued to support the campaign.
The MemCom judges named CIOB the winner from a shortlist that also included the Road Haulage Association, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Royal College of Physicians.
The award entry argued that the campaign demonstrated a complete journey from member experiences to national policy influence, with the publication of BS 30417, parliamentary activity and changes in PPE provision representing a shift from awareness-raising towards practical implementation.
For Construction Management, the award marks recognition not only of the campaign’s lobbying impact but of the role specialist construction journalism can play in taking an industry issue from individual experiences on site to wider institutional and policy change.
