Construction with a conscience

“Our purpose is to improve lives,” states Casey Group CEO Chris Casey, who features in our latest Business Podcast.

Chris Casey has been with the family firm his father founded 55 years ago since the age of 19.

In our latest Business Podcast, hosted by Dave Sweeton, he provides an overview of a highly successful business that has continued to grow.

“I originally started as a teenager driving machines with the waste business for six months,” states Chris.

That was 31 years ago before he went on to become a quantity surveyor with the firm, working four days a week and spending the other day at university.

Ten years ago he became CEO, overseeing a business today with 234 employees, plans to recruit more and a turnover that grew to £95 million last year.

In a very honest and open interview Chris says: “With my role as the leader, I used to think that I had to do everything better than everyone else and that caused me a lot of stress.

“But ultimately, I realised that my job was to create the environment where other people can flourish. My job is to make sure people can thrive in their roles.

“We have an attitude that we want people to grow personally and within the business, and so we are always seeking ways of expanding our mindset and how we can do things better.”

Although its head office is in Rochdale, Chris has lived in Tameside all of his life, with the business having undertaken extensive projects across the borough.   

At the moment Casey is involved in works at Assheton House in Ashton, looking at a scheme at Chartist House in Hyde and working with Tameside Council on the Ashton Market development.

RESTORATION PROJECT: Ashton Old Baths.

Historically, some of the big schemes undertaken include the construction of the eco-friendly Stamford Park pavilion and assisting in the remarkable restoration of Ashton Old Baths, the podcast touching on numerous other development works undertaken by the group locally.

Casey continues to provide refurbishments for Jigsaw Housing and Onward Homes and while there are various arms to the Casey Group, its work is predominantly in the social housing sector across the northwest, including an expansion into the construction of new build social housing.

Casey constructions and developments are award-winning, but the business has a keen sense of corporate responsibility.

“We like to work with communities and the social value aspect is what we really pride ourselves on,” states Chris.

“We’ve provided a lot of work experience opportunities, have been involved with Works4U and worked with apprentices from Tameside College. This year we will have 20 apprentices across the business.

“We like to be involved with community schemes and when we worked on Ashton Old Baths, we supported the local food banks and were involved with the Hazelhurst community garden in Ashton.

“We’ve also worked with Northern Rail and got two trains running for school children on a train journey out to the coast and back. It’s a great feeling to be able to do something extra. We want people to have a sense of purpose within the business.”

Building that sense of purpose has led to the business working with the Mustard Tree, the Manchester charity that combats poverty and works to prevent homelessness, enabling one of their clients to get back into the world of work and gain employment with the firm.

Casey also supplied Emmaus with sleeping pods, providing a transition for homeless people in Salford.

“We also provided work experience with some of their clients within the business,” added Chris.

“We take a lot of pride from that. It’s about making a difference for people who are struggling, who have not had the opportunities and helping them get back into meaningful work.”

SOCIAL VALUE: 'Working with communities... is what we really pride ourselves on'.

That ethic extends not merely without, but also within, for workforce welfare is a Casey cornerstone.

Chris shares openly and honestly his own mental health challenges, personally recognising the importance and impact poor mental health can have on people’s lives.

“I know how challenging it can be and how isolated people can feel so as an organisation it is very important to us,” explains Chris.

Provision for staff welfare has developed leading to the group holding its first Mental Health Day last year.

“We literally closed the business, informing all our clients that we would not be operating for the day.

“We brought all our employees together. We had speakers, and I had to get over my fear and be one of them... I thought that if I could show my vulnerabilities it might also help.

“A number of employees shared their own difficult journeys, and they joined me on stage, and we had an amazing panel.”

One keynote speaker was TV personality Jason Fox from Channel 4’s Who Dares Wins programme.

“We thought he would really connect with the ‘macho image’ of a construction worker who can’t show any fear,” says Chris.

“He had a great story to tell of breaking down and the journey to recovery. We thought that if this person is a trained SAS guy and can have a breakdown, then we can all acknowledge that it can happen to us too.”

Following positive feedback, the company holds its second Mental Health Day next month.

“This time we’ve invited Ricky Hatton and again he’s got a great story that we hope will connect. We have just got to normalise that life is hard and you can’t have an ‘A-Day’ every day. We feel we are making great progress at Casey’s in providing that supportive environment for people and it is something that we will continue to do.

“I know from my own experience that when I was struggling with my mental health, work was getting the best of me, but home was getting the worst of me.

“The most important people in my life are my family and I realised I had to do something about it.”

With Andy’s Man Club also on board, Chris adds: “The idea is to create the platform for people to talk and normalise that conversation, but also give people some tools to help them cope. To think how we can pro-actively  do things to improve our mental health.”

The podcast provides a fascinating insight into the mindset of running a successful company where the concern is for those the business serves and for the well-being of those it employs.

But the interview is also wide reaching. Other topics covered include the Grenfell tragedy, the lessons learned within the construction industry and new safety standards introduced.

Casey joined the new Building Safer Futures initiative which has led to the foundation of its own academy at its head office, training its own employees and providing up to date safety advice and guidance for clients.

Future aspirations are shared and Dave and Chris discuss the planned redevelopment of the former Hartshead power station site in Millbrook.

“It’s a scheme that is not far from my door and so means a lot to me,” says Chris.

The old power station was demolished in the ‘80s and Chris says Casey has been working to bring a scheme forward for the site for some time.

He admits it has proved contentious, but maintains it will provide much needed land remediation, making the area safe plus provide 164 new homes, including up to 40 per cent affordable homes.

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