Sodexo’s Joanna Harris wins Outstanding Contribution category at 2022 BCIA awards
Sodexo’s Hard FM ambassador, Joanna Harris, has been recognised at the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) 2022 awards with the prestigious Outstanding Contribution category.
Joanna is a passionate advocate of careers in engineering, and of apprenticeships as a route into the industry, having started out herself as a maintenance apprentice.
Joanna joined Sodexo in November 2020, to compliment the development of best practice Hard FM in the UK&I region. She is responsible for promoting, programme managing and embedding best practice in maintenance and technical services delivery. She is involved with Sodexo’s Technical Apprenticeship programme, supporting their enrichment sessions that bring the apprentice together and focus on additional skills they wouldn’t learn typically at college, for example, problem solving, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
This year’s winner is somebody who is very well known in the industry for volunteering their time to make the industry a better place for everyone and for taking the lead on initiatives which really matter.
One of these initiatives has seen them shining a beacon on young engineers and in particular inspiring young female engineers to consider building services engineering as a career.
Our winner has also volunteered a considerable amount of their time overseeing the updating of CIBSE Guide M – Maintenance Engineering & Management and in doing so they have ensured that the importance of BEMS and building controls has not been overlooked.
This person has regularly given their time and expertise freely without seeking any personal gain but for the sole purpose of making buildings perform better and to create opportunities for all engineers. In doing so they have had a positive impact on many people within our industry and will undoubtedly continue to do so as it is an industry which is very close to their heart.
I was honoured to receive the award. Building controls is as an area of special interest to me and has continued as my career has developed into facilities management. I have always advocated for improvement of facilities teams’ engagement with building controls and have high hopes for the industry as technology is embraced by building owners and operators to make better asset management decisions and improve energy efficiency.