Quod has a busy events calendar, encouraging team work through a series of fun social and sporting events.
Our eventsQuod Life
At Quod, we not only enjoy what we do, but also who we work with. We have a range of additional regular activities that have developed over time, through ideas and suggestions put forward from all of Quod.
As a group of people who are passionate about the built environment, we encourage everyone to take part in debating the challenges planning brings, with a rigorous (but enjoyable!) training and development programme to ensure we support each other to be the best at what we do. We also have a wide range of fun sports and social events that bring together all teams across Quod.
Training & Development
Seminars & events
Skills training
Diverse speakers
Individual learning
Mentoring
Forums
Quod invests in the on-going training and development requirements of its staff and has an internal team dedicated to co-ordinating a diverse programme of speakers and skills training – from within Quod as well as from external organisations.
Our CPD programme features a wide range of topics from technical skills and policy updates to planning’s role in broader societal issues. Working with colleagues in various leading Chambers, we run mock inquiries giving staff an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of preparing for and appearing at an inquiry – the case may not be real, but the pressure is. All levels of staff regularly arrange forums to facilitate knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practice, based on recent project experience and attendance at external CPD seminars and events.
Quod staff also present external CPDs to a range of development organisations and professional institutes. Please do get in touch with Hannah Cox if there is a CPD you would like us to give your company..
Quod provides support for individual learning, and encourages its staff to pursue their interests in the built environment both in and out of the office. As part of our development of staff we have a mentoring system where junior members are mentored both by someone in their team, but also a senior outside of their team – an approach that has been very successful.
Sports
Quod encourages teamwork and dynamism in everything we do. This approach is reflected not only in the office (and now at home!), but on the sports field as well.
As a company we take part in a range of events throughout the year, raising funds for charity, or just our heart rate. We turn our hand to triathlons, marathons, cycles, climbing mountains, jumping in lakes, to name a few.
We also enjoy team sports – with regular softball tournaments, internal 5-a-side football matches, and even dragon boat racing featuring in our social-sporting calendar. We hold an annual client golf day with is a great opportunity to get to know our clients in a relaxed environment. Our annual ski trip in January, which all staff are invited on, is a great way to round off the year, and to kick start us into the next one.
Although no group activity has taken place over the last year, we have made sure that our sporting and competitive streak has not taken a back seat. Virtual events have taken place including a virtual duathlon raising money for our charity of the year. Teams were formed of competitors up and down the country with one team running the first leg in Suffolk, another cycling in London and a third completing the second run in Leeds. We look forward to our first in person event with competitors already in training. Quod’s Virtual Run club has also yielded some impressive Strava art.
Our Contribution to the debate
At Quod we pride ourselves on leading the debate on a wide range of issues affecting the development industry. We take our responsibility to inform the debate seriously.
Given our mix of specialism and depth of project experiences, we look at issues affecting the industry from a range of angles. We thoroughly enjoy bringing these perspectives together to challenge ideas and develop solutions.
Internally we have a number of platforms to encourage debate from all levels across Quod. Once a month we run “Quod Gossip” which is an informal forum to discuss recent issues, case law or interesting projects. It is principally designed to give junior members of our team experience to present their case and engage in the debate, although there are regular contributions from all levels.
Accreditations, Affiliations & Awards
Social
We not only enjoy what we do, but also each other’s company and that of our clients.
We have a busy social calendar ranging from company days out to informal drinks after work on a Friday. We hold an annual client party, at which we thoroughly enjoy saying thank you to all the people we work closest with.
Since the pandemic we have found new ways to stay in touch with both colleagues and clients outside the realms of face-to-face meetings with a variety of virtual events from quiz nights, to bingo, to a monthly book club. As fun and novel as it has been, we cannot wait till we can all meet up in person and enjoy each other’s company again.