Compliance Group began life as a speculative health and safety start-up venture in Liverpool in 2013 – now it is a thriving business with four divisions and a £3m turnover. Tony McDonough reports
In just 12 years Paul Spencer and Dawn Willis have transformed their fledgling health and safety consultancy into a multi-faceted Liverpool business with 26 employees and a £3m turnover.
It was back in 2011 when the seeds of Compliance Group were first planted when Paul and Dawn were both made redundant and started planning their new business after deciding they no longer wanted to work for anyone else but themselves.
In 2013 they launched Compliance Health and Safety. Dawn worked from her kitchen table balancing the books while Paul went out and found the clients.
Paul had identified prior to being made redundant the need for additional health and safety support in schools and colleges and over 600 North West Schools have now engaged the services of Compliance Education alone
Now, 12 years later, the Speke-based company is thriving with turnover reaching £3m for the first time and employee numbers totalling 26, including members of the founders’ families.
Compliance Group comprises four divisions – Compliance Health and Safety, Compliance Education, Compliance in Construction, and Compliance Training Solutions.
“It has been quite the journey,” Paul told LBN. “We knew about the high failure rate of start-ups but we also knew we had the edge in terms of our expertise and business model. We were nervous but also optimistic about what we could achieve.
“In many cases SMEs cannot afford to employ full-time health and safety managers and with Compliance our approach was to walk in the door and provide this essential function.
“We also made the decision to offer our clients a monthly paying scheme as a lot of businesses don’t have the money up front.
“Many health and safety companies tie down clients with lengthy three-year contracts. We offer month to month agreements. That’s a risk and you have to be prepared to back yourself.
“That policy has turned out to be a really strong selling point for us. Our clients know with the rolling contracts there is no room for coasting or complacency. We make sure we deliver every day.”
In April Paul told LBN that with the Health and Safety at Work Act now 50 years’ old, it is important that companies are as vigilant as ever when it comes to the health and well-being of their employees.
He explained: “During the last 50 years we have seen significant deindustrialisation in the UK. This means some of the more obvious dangers have receded but risks remain and the push for safer workplaces must continue.
“People working in construction still face significant risks. More recent legislation such as the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 have helped but it also makes compliance more complex and too often employers will look at ways to get around the regulations, rather than comply with them.”
Dawn believes Compliance’s hands-on approach sets it apart from some of the bigger operators in the health and safety sector.
She said: “There are no online templates and each client gets their own designated advisor for continuity providing a more personal experience and not just someone at the end of a phone. We actually complete all risk assessments on behalf of our clients.
“We actually become part of your team and understand each business’s individual needs. We get to know the people on a personal level and that makes a huge difference when too are trying to get an important message across.
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“We now have an amazing team, including three apprentices, one of whom has just won a nationwide apprentice of the year award.
“We are proud to be part of the apprenticeship scheme as a way of giving back and giving young students a good start. They will hopefully play a major role in the future growth of the Compliance Group.”