The Cardiff Business Awards 2024 celebrated the outstanding achievements of businesses and individuals who are shaping the future of Cardiff’s economy.
In this series of interviews, we spotlight the winners, sharing their stories and celebrating their contributions.
Among this year’s winners is Mott MacDonald, which was honoured with the prestigious Construction Business of the Year Award. We spoke with the company’s representative, Brendon Baker, to learn more.
1.How does your business contribute to Cardiff's community, and what impact do you hope to have on the local economy or society?
Our staff are passionate about Cardiff taking all opportunities to promote our city and Wales.
We are active members of influential advisory groups participating on local committees and working groups, such as Constructing Excellence Wales, Business in the Community, Women in Property, Building Equality Cymru, Association for Consultancy and Engineering, Royal Town Planning Institute, FOR Cardiff, the Institute of Civil Engineering, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, the Design Commission for Wales.
Committed staff in our Cardiff office hold volunteer positions including the Women in Property South Wales Chair, RTPI Cymru Committee Members, ACE Cymru Committee members, the Newport Place Board, FOR Cardiff's Place Shaping Working Group, C/HT President, Events Coordinator of CIHT Cymru, Immediate Past Chair of CIHT Cymru, and a Wales Design Panel review member.
Additionally, our staff regularly volunteer for local litter picks and school visits. From 2023, we have collected over 100 kilos of rubbish from Bute Park, local waterways and beaches. In 2023, twelve of our professionals visited local schools to talk about careers in STEM and this year we have joined the 1 Million Mentors programme, with eight staff scheduled to support students at Cathays St 1/ltyds High Schools.
We have also been supporting to delivery hockey training at Cardiff High School for the last 2 years This comprises after school clubs for years 7, 8 and 9 girls, senior girls (10 & 11) and key stage 3 boys.
2. Are there any emerging trends or innovations in your field that you believe will transform business in Cardiff?
Construction projects are increasingly focused on values and social purpose. It's about bringing people and planet together at a local scale. This aligns with Mott MacDonald's broader mission of achieving social outcomes and contribute meaningfully at a local level.
For example, the Cardiff Crossrail project offers the potential for major economic benefits, in conjunction with other schemes including a new Cardiff Arena and other developments in the Bay area. The social effects will be profound. In Butetown the challenges of economic and social inclus,on are physically v1s1ble, the prospect of good transport access to Jobs at all skill levels might bring hope and success. The unlocking of green development sites would promote the well-being of future generations, offering a flagship for sustainable development, demonstrating climate resilience, and attracting global interest and investment in a Green Development Transformation.
We advised Cardiff Council on the successful Levelling Up application for Cardiff Crossrail. The first phase of Cardiff Crossrail is now set to go ahead following an award of £50m to Cardiff Council from the UK's Levelling Up Fund and match funding of £50m from the Welsh Government.
The Cardiff Crossrail connection between Central Station and the Bay is on-track for delivery in 2028 to support Cardiff in hosting the Euros Football Finals!
We have held events that bring together local stakeholders for in-depth discussion on wicked problems, for example our ongoing Breakfast Round Table series which promote frank conversations on topics such as social procurement, behaviour change, the biodiversity crisis, and placemaking. We have also hosted UK Government Ministers and Welsh Government civil servants on behalf of Cardiff to showcase the city of Cardiff from our elevated position above Callaghan Square.
Our WELLIE tool, which is a first of its kind tool to ensure that projects integrate the Wellbeing of Future Generations legislation and ensures schemes have tangible benefits for future generations. WELLIE provides practitioners with a clear step-by-step process which integrates the principles of social, economic, environmental and cultural sustainability into project development from the earliest stages.
3. What keeps you motivated during tough times? Are there any lessons you'd share about resilience and adaptability?
We see strong alignment with Mott MacDonald's culture and the world-leading We/I-being of Future Generations Act. In particular, our employee Code and company Values support behaviours that are consistent with the ambition to improve our collective social, cultural, environmental and economic well-being. The Act is unique to Wales but has resonated with our staff across the world. Employees working in our Cardiff office see the opportunity to be part of a long-lasting, positive legacy – and they want to shout about this as one of the wonderful benefits of working in Wales.
And of course the Mott MacDonald Sports Day! In August, Cardiff hosted the company Sports Day, which is a highlight of our year, giving colleagues an opportunity to have fun, build relationships with people they may normally only interact with online, and enjoy some (friendly) inter-office competition. We bought over 700 professionals, along with their friends and families, from the UK, Ireland and Spain to enjoy an action-packed weekend in Cardiff. This was an opportunity to showcase Cardiff and Wales. Sports Day will return to Cardiff in 2025!
4. What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs or professionals in Cardiff who are inspired by your journey?
Don't be shy about shouting about Cardiff and Wales!
