RBDC Member Exclusive: 5 Key Takeaways from The Network Rail National Supplier Conference

Collaboration, contracts, opportunities for the supply chain and SMEs, health and safety, data, digital, sustainability, and innovation were the big key themes at Network Rail’s National Supplier Conference.

The RBD Community team attended the online event on Thursday 11 May themed around ‘Control Period 7: Delivering Effectively’.

We’ve summarised our five Key Takeaways from The Network Rail National Supplier Conference for RBDC members in the community’s portal One Place. Providing useful insights and links for members from the event.

Here is a snapshot from the article…

1. Promoting the right safety behaviours and culture – safety culture was a key opening theme, with a strong drive towards Network Rail working with supply chain and partners to help it to promote the right safety behaviours and culture across the rail network.  
2. Building stronger supply chain partnerships – Network Rail reaffirmed its commitment to building stronger partnerships with the rail supply chain and treating suppliers as true partners on CP7, as opposed to traditional buyer/supply relationships of the past. Regional SME Champions will be working with local businesses to unearth regional solutions to regional challenges.
3. Knowledge sharing and learning lessons – plenty of discussion around how CP7 provides a great opportunity for the rail industry to learn together and embed learning and knowledge sharing into processes. Suppliers can nominate a person from their organisation to request access to a new Learning from Lessons Library.
4. Opportunities for SMEs – a big topic of discussion centred around SMEs finding it challenging to access new contract opportunities. Network Rail recommended SMEs and specialists in the supply chain register on two platforms, which are linked in the full One Place article, and to work with Tier 1 organisations to get a foot in the door. More actions are planned to help open up opportunities.
5. Use of data to enhance value – a panel discussion identified a key supply chain opportunity around provision of data services to the rail industry. Recognising that the rail sector can share its current challenges with the supply chain, particularly with SMEs specialising in data services, and ask for data solutions that help address specific industry challenges.

You can access the full article and other exclusive member content by joining RBDC today. Members get up to £3,800 of benefits for less than £1 a day.

RBD Community is the fastest growing community in rail, a vibrant and proactive community created to help members connect and do more business, better in the industry.

Membership benefits include a carefully curated package of profile enhancement activities, intelligence features including tender and funding opportunities which are updated weekly, industry insights, newsletters, alerts, and networking opportunities. Plus, so much more.

All insights, opportunities and resources are accessible in One Place – the community member portal. And, if there is something our members want that they can’t find anywhere, they can ask the team who make it their mission to find it for them.

Key RBD Community contacts:

RBDC Sales Manager louise@railbusinessdaily.com

Onboarding Manager jo@railbusinessdaily.com

Content Editor fiona@railbusinessdaily.com

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