On Saturday 13th of June, 11 colleagues from JSM successfully completed the Macmillan Thames Path Mighty Hike, taking on an incredible endurance challenge in support of people affected by cancer.

The team showed outstanding determination and resilience, with every participant crossing the finish line. The day was filled with positive energy, strong team spirit and a shared sense of purpose, making it a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Beyond the physical challenge, the team has made a meaningful impact through their fundraising efforts, raising over £4,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. These funds will help provide vital services to individuals and families navigating the challenges of cancer.

JSM is extremely proud of the commitment, enthusiasm and teamwork demonstrated by everyone who took part. Their efforts truly reflect the company’s values and dedication to making a difference in the community.

Congratulations to all involved on an inspiring achievement.

JSM colleagues recently came together for a successful volunteering initiative at Edith Gardens Nature Reserve in Surbiton, supporting the ongoing development of an accessible urban rewilding space. 

A key part of the initiative was driven by the efforts of JSM’s Chessington to Kingston project team, who provided the equipment and carried out significant preparatory works ahead of the volunteering day. This included upgrading footpaths and wheelchair-accessible routes, with six tonnes of material donated by JSM, alongside the provision of labour and machinery. The works, led on-site by the delivery team, played a vital role in improving access across the site. 

On the day itself, 8 JSM volunteers carried out a range of rewilding activities, building on the foundations put in place through the project works. Volunteers constructed gabion cages using stone generously donated by M-Longs, now forming functional seating, alongside recycled timber from JSM’s yards that was also included as part of the donated materials. They also carried out wetland planting within existing ponds to enhance biodiversity.  

The initiative reflects the combined impact of JSM’s project delivery expertise and employee volunteering, demonstrating how infrastructure works can create added value for local communities and the environment. 

“Citizen Zoo is incredibly grateful for the support, dedication, and enthusiasm shown by JSM in helping us improve our urban rewilding sensory garden at Edith Gardens in Berrylands. JSM’s Chessington to Kingston project team, supervised on-site by Costel Minzu, generously donated their time, expertise, and machinery to expand and resurface our wheelchair-accessible paths. 

We were also delighted to welcome a JSM working group for a rewarding and hugely successful volunteer day, with high-impact practical rewilding activities including replenishing our wildlife pond and constructing habitat-rich seating. 

This work will enable us to expand our partnerships with local charities and grow Edith Gardens’ potential as a leading accessible urban rewilding site, ensuring access and enjoyment for all.” – said Digby Wheeler, Rewilding Officer at Citizen Zoo 

The week of activity highlights the positive impact of partnership working, with JSM’s contribution supporting both improved accessibility and long-term environmental value at Edith Gardens.

JSM Group has published its ESG Annual Report 2025, setting out a year of measurable progress across the environmental, social and governance commitments that underpin how the business operates and grows.

Now in its most comprehensive form yet, the report covers JSM’s performance for the year ending 31 December 2025 and reflects work delivered by colleagues across every part of the Group.

“For JSM, ESG is a practical driver of performance, supporting reliable delivery for our clients and helping them build resilient infrastructure,” said Stephen Evans-Howe, Chief Risk & Safety Officer at JSM Group.

Highlights from a year of progress 

On the environmental front, JSM achieved a 99% recycling rate across the Group, with 67,506 tonnes of material reused, recycled or recovered. A Battery Storage Unit trial at Stockport saved 16,892 litres of diesel and cut emissions by 44.9 tCO2e, while a wider trial of the technology delivered a 73% reduction in diesel generator fuel consumption. A trial of HVO fuel demonstrated a 98% reduction in carbon emissions, and solar panels fitted to 27 pieces of plant cut fleet-support callouts by an estimated 80%. All grid-connected facilities now run on 100% renewable electricity.

On the social side, colleagues donated 156 hours of volunteering time and JSM invested £22,000 in local community organisations, supporting projects ranging from the Ealing Beaver Project to Fair Havens Hospice. The Group also launched the JSM Managers University and Leadership Academy, introduced inclusive PPE options, and translated key safety training materials into Romanian to improve accessibility across its workforce.

In governance, JSM maintained a broad portfolio of external accreditations, including its Integrated Management System certifications to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and its ISO/IEC 27001 information security accreditation (now extended to Ireland and Bahrain). JSM also achieved SOC 2 accreditation in 2025.

Building the foundations for net zero 

Looking ahead to 2026, JSM will publish a formal ESG roadmap, work towards setting a Science Based Target, and pursue Great Place to Work accreditation. The Group has also committed to externally verifying its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2027, building the foundations for a credible net zero pathway.

Read the full ESG Annual Report 2025 here

JSM celebrates Highly Commended Gold Award win in the City of London

JSM Group is celebrating another major achievement after receiving a Highly Commended Gold Award at the City of London Corporation’s Considerate Contractor Streetworks Scheme Awards. The award recognises contractors that consistently exceed the standards set out in the Code of Good Practice, reflecting excellence in areas such as planning, coordination, accountability, innovation and commitment to high standards across streetworks activity in the Square Mile.

Presented at the awards ceremony on Friday 8 May, the recognition marks more than 20 years of JSM’s involvement in the scheme and highlights the consistently strong performance of the business in one of the UK’s most complex and demanding operating environments. It is a testament to the expertise, professionalism and dedication of JSM’s Digital Infrastructure team, whose work in the City continues to demonstrate a strong focus on safety, quality, programme delivery and close collaboration with stakeholders and authorities.

Joe Scanlon, Associate Director – Civils, said:

We were honoured to represent JSM Group at the City of London Awards and accept a Highly Commended Gold Award – a recognition we have developed for over 20 years. This achievement is a direct reflection of the outstanding performance of our Digital Infrastructure team in the Square Mile, whose unwavering focus on safety, quality, programme delivery and collaboration with stakeholders and authorities continues to drive excellence across our operations.

This latest success reinforces JSM’s long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality infrastructure services responsibly and considerately, while helping keep the City connected and moving. It also reflects the strength of the teams behind the work, from planning and permits through to delivery on site, whose commitment continues to set the standard year after year.

We are pleased to announce that the first cohort of Front-Line Supervisors has successfully completed Level 1 of the JSM Leadership Academy – “Leading the Frontline.” This marks a significant milestone in our commitment to developing strong, capable leaders across our organisation. 

As a result of completing this programme, participants have achieved the CITB Supervisor CSCS Gold Card, following their completion of the NOCN Level 3 Occupational Work Supervision NVQ. This accreditation reflects the high standards of competence, professionalism, and leadership that the programme is designed to build. 

This inaugural group has demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience, balancing demanding site responsibilities with a rigorous development programme. Their commitment to strengthening health and safety, operational excellence, and continuous improvement sets a strong benchmark for future cohorts. 

We also extend our appreciation to HSP Training for their ongoing partnership and to Aaron Hickman, NVQ Assessor, for his support throughout the assessment process. He shared: 

These delegates showed outstanding dedication and a real commitment to health, safety, and leadership on site. JSM were incredibly supportive throughout the assessment process, ensuring their team had everything they needed to succeed. A hugely well‑deserved achievement for everyone involved! 

Our Chief People Officer, Helen Stewart, added: 
Huge congratulations to our first cohort completing the Leading the Frontline course from our Leadership Academy. Taking time away from your day job is never easy, especially for our supervisory teams in busy roles and projects. Your commitment to your role and company is demonstrated in the outcome of this training. Thank you! This programme exists to build the leaders JSM needs, and this is just the start.

We are incredibly proud of this achievement and look forward to seeing these newly qualified Supervisors continue to grow, inspire, and lead within JSM. 

Here’s to building safer sites, stronger teams, and brighter futures. 

Last week, members of the JSM team spent the day volunteering at the Barking Foodbank, supporting the charity’s vital work within the local community.

The team kicked off the day with a food run at ASDA, using a £400 budget to purchase essential supplies requested by the Foodbank. They then spent the remainder of the day categorising, dating and organising stock in the warehouse to help streamline operations ahead of a busy period.

The Foodbank’s Operations Manager, Funmi Ikele, shared her appreciation for the ongoing support:

JSM has supported our food bank faithfully for the past 3 years, volunteering at our warehouse. We appreciate every time they come because the help get so much work done. This time around, they came with a budget of £400 helping us to get much needed food items. We are so glad to see so many regular faces and we look forward to a continued partnership.

Alongside this volunteer effort, JSM will be collecting food donations throughout the month of April at both of our main sites in Potters Bar and River Road. All of which will be passed directly to the Barking Foodbank to support individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. This forms a key part of JSM’s annual commitment to giving back and supporting the communities where we work.

Reflecting on the ongoing initiative, JSM’s Environmental Manager, Claire Parsons, who organises the event each year, shared the following:

As Funmi shared, JSM has supported the Foodbank for the past three years, and the need for food assistance has grown sharply in that time. Our volunteers were struck by how low stock levels were this year, which prompted us to take further action. We’re launching a donation initiative to help replenish essential items, with a dedicated QR code and cash donation points at Potters Bar and River Road. JSM will match the total raised, enabling us to purchase priority supplies and deliver them to local collection points. We remain committed to supporting our communities and helping ensure vital services like the Barking Foodbank can continue their important work.

The day was a great success and further strengthens JSM’s long-standing relationship with the Barking Foodbank, reaffirming our dedication to supporting meaningful causes and making a positive impact within the communities we serve.

At JSM, we’re proud to empower our people to support the causes they care about through our Community Grant scheme. One recent project comes from Oliver Wales, Project Manager at JSM, who applied successfully for funding on behalf of his local allotment community, an initiative focused on improving shared spaces, protecting crops, and creating long‑term sustainability for all plot holders. 

Thanks to the grant, the allotment was able to rent an excavator for a weekend in December to dig the trenches required for a brand-new shared chicken coop. Since then, volunteers have been hard at work, and the boundary fencing was fully installed just last weekend. Once complete, the coop will be shared between allotment holders, with a rotational care system and plans for up to 12 chickens, providing participating members with fresh eggs daily. Final touches, including securing the perimeter with chicken wire, will take place over the coming months, with hopes of welcoming the chickens later this summer. 

The larger portion of the funding went toward purchasing as many fence posts and as much chicken wire as possible to protect three vulnerable plots that were facing ongoing damage from rabbits. Through savvy negotiating with local suppliers, the team managed to stretch the budget far beyond expectations, enough to fence six plots in total, doubling the original plan. This included repairing an older plot in need of attention and fencing two additional plots whose owners didn’t expect to be included. They were thrilled with the outcome. 

Committee Chairman, Peter Smith, shared this message of thanks: 

Last week, we were delighted to support Latton Green Primary Academy in Harlow following their call to help to enhance outdoor creative play. The school reached out requesting items such as cones, barriers, signs and other resources the children could use to spark imagination during outdoor learning. We were pleased to donate a Road Safety Kit to help them create a fun, engaging and educational play environment.

The school shared their appreciation, saying:

The road safety kit has already made a fantastic impact on the children’s play and learning. They’ve loved using the signs, cones and barriers to create ‘road works’, redesign scooter routes, and work together, supporting teamwork, communication and early road safety awareness. We’re incredibly grateful for your generosity.

Community support is an important part of what we do at JSM, and we’re proud to play a small part in helping local schools enrich their pupils’ learning experiences.

This Bytesized piece explores Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) in action – a quick, practical insight into one of the most effective low‑impact installation methods in the industry.

What is Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and why is it used?

HDD is widely used by civil engineering contractors to install underground utilities without disturbing the surface, making it ideal for congested or sensitive environments. By drilling a guided underground path and pulling pipes or cables through in one continuous section, HDD minimises disruption, reduces environmental impact, and keeps infrastructure running as normal.

How was HDD applied on this high-constraint project?

A recent JSM project demonstrates this in action. The team was tasked with installing a high‑voltage cable route beneath a corridor packed with constraints, including dense utilities, environmentally sensitive features, operational areas, and live traffic movements. Traditional excavation wasn’t feasible.

How did engineering expertise ensure safe delivery?

Using gyro‑guided steering, staged drilling, real‑time monitoring, and strict environmental controls, the team delivered a minimal‑surface‑impact installation, completed in under five days. All surrounding operations, access routes, and habitats remained fully protected throughout. The project reflects best practice in civil engineering delivery within complex utility environments.

Why is HDD a preferred method for modern infrastructure projects?

This case study highlights why HDD has become a preferred method for modern infrastructure delivery: precision, safety, speed, and minimal disruption, even in the most challenging environments. 

JSM Academy has officially launched its new Transformational Leadership Programme, with around 10 senior leaders from across the business attending Day one of the programme. The programme is being delivered in partnership with John Bullock of Solution Focused, our trusted training partner, and marks an important step in JSM’s continued investment in leadership capability and organisational growth. This group of leaders will embark on a structured development journey designed to strengthen their ability to lead from the front, inspire high-performing teams, and drive sustainable change across the business. The programme focuses on modern, practical leadership approaches that reflect the evolving demands of today’s workplace. Throughout the programme, leaders will explore a range of key subject areas, including:
  • Team Leadership – building trust, accountability, and collaboration.
  • Influencing & Communication Skills – leading with clarity, confidence, and impact.
  • Visionary Leadership – setting direction and inspiring others to deliver the future vision.
  • Corporate & Leadership Responsibility – leading ethically and responsibly.
  • Personal Development Planning – embedding learning into day-to-day leadership practice.
Day one set the foundation for the months ahead, encouraging open discussion, reflection, and a shared commitment to personal and professional growth. Participants were challenged to think differently about leadership, their impact on others, and how they can role-model JSM values in everything they do.
The Transformational Leadership Programme has been a real eyeopener. It’s pushed me to reflect on how I lead, communicate, and support my team, not just in the big moments, but in the everyday interactions that shape our culture. I’m already applying the tools we learned on Day one, and I can see the difference they’re making. – Riaz Cadersaib, Head of Pre-Construction.
This programme represents a significant milestone for JSM Academy and reinforces our commitment to developing strong, capable leaders who can support both people and performance as the business continues to grow.