Imagine you are the boss of a high-profile construction contractor, keen to win more public sector work. To be seen as one of the best firms around, you ensure your staff and those of your subcontractors are well treated and fairly paid.
All the work and energy you've put into building that profile is destroyed in an instant when news breaks that one of your subcontractors - some way down the line - has ended up giving one member of site staff, a Lithuanian builder, only £8.80 in take-home pay one week.
It could happen to anyone, but that was the nightmare facing Skanska this week when the story broke in Monday's Guardian. Skanska was quick to react to the news, but the story illustrates just how difficult it is to know what subcontractors are doing - sometimes not until it is too late.
The story hasn't done anyone any favours. It makes the industry look like it is taking advantage of migrant workers, and confirms the public's worst prejudices about construction. Is it any wonder that we have problems recruiting people given such headlines?
This might be an isolated incident, but checking that nobody on site is facing the same issue might be time well spent. Embarrassing headlines are the last thing anyone wants - especially at a time when clients can afford to be more picky about who they award work to...
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