GGF president John Agnew reflects on progress during tough times

In the last two years the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has received wide coverage in the trade media for many successes as well as for some high profile departures. Since 2016, the GGF Board on behalf of its members has devised a long-term strategic plan. This plan is now being implemented to ensure the GGF remains as the leading trade body in the glass and glazing industry, delivering high quality services and benefits for its members. The strategic plan addressed all areas of the GGF and its subsidiary companies and entailed departmental and management re-structure. As with any significant structural change in an organisation, it is inevitable that staff will join and leave during the transition. It is unfortunate that some personnel decided to leave and also disappointing that some appointments haven’t worked out the way the GGF Board had initially expected. However, it is reassuring that most of the key longterm GGF staff remain with the GGF and its group of commercial companies and are consistently delivering the benefits and service our members and customers deserve.

From some quarters, criticism has been levelled at the GGF Board, though it must be emphasised that GGF Board Members have been elected by the GGF members to make decisions for the benefit of the broad GGF membership. The GGF Board positions are unpaid, voluntary roles and Board members are elected from all parts of the membership and the supply chain. Though admittedly this transitional period has been difficult at times, the GGF Board, the staff and our members are to be commended for their continuous great work across many areas. Substantial progress has been made in the last two years and today we are starting to see the benefits with record numbers of companies joining and staying with the Federation, continuous development of technical guidance and publications, new online platforms and unprecedented high levels of brand awareness in trade, consumer and the mainstream media.

There is no doubt with our talented, dedicated staff and our loyal members we will continue to make progress on many fronts over the coming months and years as we see our strategic plans for improved services and greater member engagement fully realised. The GGF and its subsidiary companies are arguably in their strongest ever positions and collectively we will build on this going forward for the benefit of the Federation, its members and all connected to the GGF Group.

John Agnew – GGF President