WINEP5: Pioneering Supply Chain Collaboration for Green Recovery

Project Overview

As part of Ofwat’s Water Industry Environment Programme (WINEP5), MWH Treatment, a Tier 1 construction partner for Severn Trent Water, is delivering five critical waste treatment works refurbishments across Mansfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Retford, Edwinstowe, and Mattersey Thorpe.

Valued at approximately £50 million, this ambitious project, supported by design partner Stantec aims to revolutionise project delivery efficiency through VISION’s pioneering collaboration and Commitment-Based Management™ (CbM).

The Challenge

The water construction industry faces an ongoing challenge of resource scarcity. Severn Trent Water’s strategic ambition for AMP8 is to deliver projects with the same resources as AMP7, necessitating innovative solutions to do more with the same capacity. WINEP5 set out to achieve a groundbreaking acceleration in project timelines—bringing projects to site 50% sooner, completing them 20% faster, and delivering at least 5% cost savings.

Innovative Approach

At the heart of this success lies VISION’s Commitment-Based Management™ (CbM), a transformative methodology that fosters accountability, collaboration, and efficiency. This structured approach ensures all stakeholders operate with a shared vision and take ownership of their commitments, leading to faster, more effective project execution.

Key initiatives driving success include:

• Collaborative Working: Weekly facilitated sessions align MWHT, Stantec, and Severn Trent, enabling swift decision-making and issue resolution.
• One Shared Plan: Pull Planning workshops engage all stakeholders in defining key milestones, promoting accountability.
• Daily Huddles: Regular structured meetings address concerns and maintain progress.
• Customer-Focused Mindset: Assigning a ‘customer’ to each task ensures clarity in expectations and effective deliverable negotiation.
• Rapid Issue Resolution: Senior decision-makers actively engage to resolve high-impact challenges quickly, maintaining project momentum.

Achievements and Measurable Impact

Through structured collaboration, the WINEP5 programme has delivered exceptional results:

• Accelerated Project Timelines: Projects are reaching site 37% faster, with the first two achieving full design approvals (Gate 4) eight months ahead of schedule.
• Breaking Down Silos: Previously separate teams now operate as an integrated unit, sharing knowledge and best practices across projects.
• Cultural Transformation: A shift from scepticism to confidence has instilled a sense of pride and ambition, reinforcing the belief that faster project progress is achievable.

Setting a New Benchmark

The success of WINEP5 demonstrates that structured collaboration, underpinned by Commitment Based Management, is a breakthrough for infrastructure delivery. By redefining project execution methodologies, MWHT, Stantec, and Severn Trent have set a new industry standard, proving that making and keeping commitments leads to measurable, transformational outcomes.

The WINEP5 supply chain is more than a project – it is a blueprint for future success. As team members advocate for these methodologies to be rolled out across MWHT’s wider programme, the industry is taking notice. This case study serves as an inspiration for how strategic collaboration can drive efficiency, cost savings, and long-term sustainability in the water sector and beyond.

If your organisation is facing project delays, resource constraints, or inefficiencies, we can help. Contact us today  to explore how our proven methodologies can accelerate your projects and enhance collaboration.