As one of the top 20 construction companies in the UK we understand our responsibilities to our staff, our clients, communities, our supply chain and the environment.
We make a difference. We have a positive impact on the communities in which we work. We do our very best to employ local and spend local on every development. We encourage our supply chain to do the same and regularly monitor them to ensure they are aligned to our business practices and the high standards we expect from our suppliers and partners.
We seek to work with social enterprises on many of our larger projects and partner with them to deliver services for our sites such as catering facilities for the workforce or waste wood recycling.
We are committed to:
- Providing training and apprenticeship opportunities on our construction sites
- Creating jobs for and employing people from the communities in which we work
- Offering opportunities to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations
- Paying promptly
- Promoting good mental health and wellbeing to our staff through various initiatives
- Employing a diverse workforce
Case Studies:
New College, Nottingham – Basford Hall Campus
Social value: £6m – 22.22% of project value
The campus was surrounded by some of Nottingham’s most deprived areas: 44% of 16-64-year-olds were not in employment and only 62% were economically active. Working closely with our sub-contractors and the Nottingham Job Hub, we put a work experience and apprenticeship scheme in place, with some tough targets. We delivered:
- 758 actual person weeks for apprentices who were new to construction
- 80 actual person weeks for work experience for over 19s
- 1,354 actual person weeks in new vacancies created by the construction project
Not only did the scheme facilitate almost 2,200 weeks of work/experience/learning for a large group of young people it was also the catalyst for securing long-term work and permanent positions for some of them.
At the end of the project, more than 200 of the participants were still in their post and looking forward to a brighter future.
The scheme also helped New College introduce its construction students to a live site. They were able to learn about their subject in the classroom and then put that into practice on the project – helping to build their own new facility.
The opportunity to engage with a major main contractor and receive the kind of on the job training and experience afforded by the Basford Hall site, was an opportunity not to be missed. The initiative also won the Skills and Apprenticeship Scheme of the Year at the East Midlands’ Property Awards.
Waterside Campus – University of Northampton
The development of the Waterside Campus is the biggest investment ever made by the University of Northampton. We were appointed main contractor for the project – our largest ever to date at £123m.
A social impact plan was devised and KPI’s set for employing local, buying local, work placements and apprenticeship opportunities, community engagement and making a positive impact on the environment.
We achieved:
- 1239 local people employed on site through the project supply chain
- 41 local suppliers engaged
- 72 new entrants to the construction sector
- 20 full-time apprentices employed
- 9 student placements delivered
- 43 local people upskilled
- 48 public events held
These were achieved while we constructed five new academic buildings and sports facilities and also refurbished a Grade II listed former engine shed. The project was praised by the Considerate Constructors Scheme inspector who said: “Waterside should be used as a flagship for all construction sites”.
Colwyn Bay, Wales – new offices for Conwy Borough Council
Social Value £4.8m – 15.5% of project value
We were employed by client Muse Developments to build a new HQ for Conwy Borough Council in Colwyn Bay. It is an area of mixed opportunity. More than 32% of households receive less than 60% of the GB median wage (2018 figures), with community and church groups providing help to many within the community.
We provided:
- 115 weeks of apprenticeships
- 75 weeks of training opportunities
- Permanent employment to seven people who were either long-term unemployed or not in employment, education or training (NEETS).
- Delivered 223 hours of careers talks, curriculum and literacy support to local schools and colleges
- Engaged with the Prince’s Trust to provide training, experience and qualifications for young people
- Collected and donated to the local food bank
- Provided stewards for a children’s play day scheme on the beach
- Donated a scissor lift to a local school to enable them to take aerial photos of a big art project
- Printed newsletters for a local charity and community group
Social enterprise:
The Community Wood Recycling Scheme
Our commitment to recycling waste on our construction sites has led to a partnership with the Community Wood Recycling Scheme. This is a network of social enterprises collecting and reusing waste wood in the most environmentally beneficial way. They create sustainable jobs and training opportunities for disadvantaged people.
Every single piece of wood we collect is reused or recycled, nothing is dumped as waste. To date, our commitment has rescued 863 tonnes of wood from waste and this has created paid employment and training.
• 21% – 180 tonnes has been reused by communities for DIY/building projects
• 31% – 271 tonnes has been processed into firewood and kindling, helping to displace fossil fuels, reduce carbon emmissions and create paid work
• 48% – was sent for recycling into woodchip used in the manufacture of particleboard, animal bedding or as carbon-neutral fuel in power stations
The recycling scheme gives opportunities to ex-offenders and people with learning difficulties or mental health issues, helping them to overcome barriers to finding employment by giving them skills and self-confidence.
A copy of the Bowmer + Kirkland Social Value Policy can be found here
