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Nima wants more C-suite backing for Information Management Initiative

Justin Stanton

Editor, DC+

17 June 2025

Nima wants to see more C-suite backing for the Information Management Initiative (IMI) as the list of backers grows.

Abstract image of a board meeting — Image: Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com

In a wide-ranging update in the wake of Digital Construction Week, nima has called for more built environment business leaders to back the IMI.

Nima stated: “The initiative is aiming to build sector-transforming capabilities in applying emerging digital technologies such as AI, IoT and digital twins. The need to expand and apply the latest digital capabilities was highlighted in the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review last week. It is important, therefore, that organisation leaders start to champion the development of their businesses’ data and information management capacity, building the foundations for better future collaboration.”

The IMI sets out a sector-wide directive to industry, including some overarching principles and a routemap forward, and invites organisations to sign up to the following principles:

recognise the whole-life purpose of information and data;

upskill people in information management;

take a common, consistent and data-centric approach; and

establish clear data and information governance principles.

The IMI also requires organisations to create an organisation-wide mandate, encompassing some overarching rules and setting out desired outcomes, and will provide a framework and resources to support organisations in applying role-specific rules, standards and guidance.

Both Arcadis UK and Rider Levett Bucknall are backing the IMI. And there are now 26 signatories to the IMI’s principles.

Further developments

Meanwhile, the IMI steering group is being refreshed to include representatives of its early backers, who are keen to start taking the next steps in mandating change within their own organisations. As lessons are learned and resources are developed, these will be shared via the IMI Framework.

The IMI team is also developing a series of projects intended to help the industry build new common and practical approaches to data and information management challenges. Organisations will be invited to invest in these projects and be among the first to capitalise on new advances.

In recent weeks, nima has rebranded the UK BIM Framework to the IMI Framework and launched a membership scheme.

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