The FORS (or Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme), is a well-recognised accreditation within the logistics and transport industry. It is a standard which most businesses and organisations within the sector aim to achieve and maintain, and as a result it has become a symbol of best practice across the board.
Recognising businesses for their commitment to high standards, the FORS scheme has been in operation for over a decade and over that time over 3,000 organisations have achieved one of the FORS standards – either bronze, silver, or gold.
Consequently, this prestigious accreditation has almost become a rite of passage for many businesses within the sector, aiming to grow their score from bronze to silver, before finally achieving the gold standard. In 2015, there were around 2,700 companies which held the bronze standard, 200 which were awarded silver and only 50 which boasted the converted gold standard.
In this article Hammond Transport (which holds FORS Gold) will be delving deeper into FORS, particularly the FORS Silver accreditation and looking at what organisations have to achieve and maintain to be awarded this prestigious award.
What Is Fors?
This national accreditation scheme was launched in 2008 with the aim of highlighting best practice and high standards within the logistics and transport industry. Offering a tiered approach, the FORS scheme is a quality fleet management system which looks to enhance standards within the sector and reward businesses and organisations which go the extra mile for their customers and their teams.
With a wide array of criteria to meet, FORS is a rigorous process, which means that only the best in the business are able to pass and obtain one of three awards – gold, silver or bronze. The standard of award given to a company reflects how specifically they meet the FORS requirements.
The FORS accreditation is recognised across many sectors and industries including construction, rail, retail, waste management and fleet operations.
Is It Worth Achieving A Fors Silver Award?
It’s important to remember that the FORS scheme is completely voluntary. There is absolutely no legal requirement for any organisation to go through the process, however many large contractors will seek out companies which hold the FORS accreditation when looking to procure new suppliers.
As a result, businesses which hold a FORS award are likely to be more favourably looked upon when tendering for larger scale infrastructure projects. In fact, many contractors will stipulate that they will only work with partners or suppliers who hold a bronze, silver or gold FORS certificate. Ultimately, this means that the FORS standard is highly sought after in the industry and thus is a valuable accreditation to hold.
How Do You Achieve A Fors Silver Award?
FORS Silver is only available to businesses who have already achieved and maintained the FORS Bronze accreditation. Businesses also need to prove that all driver licenses and endorsements are verified via the DVLA.
Not only this, a business needs to meet a number of other criteria including professional development, road risk, noise pollution and fuel, emissions and air quality.
