Our Social Values

What is Social Value?

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 was enacted on 8th March 2012, requiring public sector organizations to consider the potential for suppliers to deliver services that enhance the well-being of the community and the environment.

These services aim to improve various aspects, including:

Social well-being
Environmental sustainability
Economic development
General well-being

To go beyond the requirements of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, a new social value model was introduced on 1st January 2021. This model sets additional measures for the central government, aiming to:

Create new job opportunities and foster skill development
Promote economic growth
Support COVID-19 recovery efforts
Address climate change
Promote equal opportunities across the UK

At our organization, we prioritize delivering services to the highest standards of excellence while considering social value. We strive to enhance both our local and national environments and encourage employee engagement with charitable causes they support.

Here are some areas in which we actively work with our teams to build on our social values and contribute to our communities and the planet:

Benevolence:

Charitable donations
Providing employees with voluntary days
Team building activities at charities/non-profit organizations
Sponsorship of events
Supporting local charities through various means

Social:

Upskilling employees
Rewards and benefits schemes for employees
Encouraging and participating in community schemes
Ethical supply chains, such as Fair Trade practices
Engaging with local community groups, such as sports clubs, schools, and social organizations
Community engagement and involvement
Promoting social integration
Providing/facilitating opportunities for disabled individuals
Supporting local heritage and culture

Employment:

Offering flexible working arrangements and lieu days
Providing mindfulness, counseling, and therapy sessions in the workplace
Introducing additional learning opportunities to enhance employees' careers

Economic:

Creating additional employment opportunities
Recruiting locally
Introducing work experience and apprenticeship opportunities
Implementing cost-saving techniques to generate additional value for money
Investing in the local community
Facilitating employment for individuals who are unemployed

Environmental:

Reducing carbon footprint
Monitoring energy and water usage through effective processes
Promoting sustainable practices in the community
Using environmentally-friendly techniques and supplies
Ensuring efficient use of equipment, people, and resources
Selecting suppliers that can provide multiple products and services to reduce transportation costs and time

Throughout the pandemic, we have prioritized the following areas to ensure safe business continuity:

Supporting COVID-19 recovery efforts
Creating new businesses, jobs, and skills to address economic inequality
Implementing environmental considerations to combat climate change and reduce waste
Adhering to equal opportunity policies within our organization

For more information or to access our achievements for 2021 and targets for 2022, please fill in the contact form below, and a member of our Senior Leadership team will reach out to you.