Social Value Initiative of the Year

This award will recognise the company that is taking the lead in delivering positive impacts for the communities and stakeholders they work with. The winning entry will have an outstanding commitment to transparency, fairness, integrity and will show how it has measured and been accountable for its social impact, helping communities recover from economic inequality and contributing to environmental responsibility and equal opportunities.

Gallaway Construction
Construction for women

Construction for Women CIC, launched by Gallaway Construction, offers a 12-week, fully funded course that prepares women for site readiness with guaranteed job placement or career paths. Participants receive weekly mentorship, with 68 mentors currently involved. The program's sister initiative, Construction for Girls, provides Year 9 students with one-day construction taster sessions. In 5 months, CFG has reached 280 girls, with over 1000 booked for 2025. The pilot program, starting in October in Salford and Warrington, will expand to 15 Hong Kong British nationals in Greater Manchester in 2025. Additionally, CFW, in partnership with Groundworks, has trained 12 prisoners,

GMI Construction Group
Construction cares

The Construction Care Programme is a completely unique offer focussing on all of the groups furthest away from the job market that is completely tailored to their needs and is not being done by anyone else to this degree. A lot of our offers are not being replicated by anyone else in this space. As above, this has got the attention of Central Government as we were invited to a Ministerial Board Meeting with the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP, the Rt. Hon, Gillian Keegan MP who wanted to hear more about the work we are doing.

Graham
Cre8

GRAHAM has pioneered CRE8 – first wraparound initiative of its kind in construction. This innovative social value initiative creates long-term employment opportunities for local, disadvantaged people - providing delegates with industry-related training/skills and site-based work experience, helping them gain sustained local construction employment. CRE8’s key element is collaboration, including local recruitment and employability service partners; ensuring CRE8's completion is the start of emerging talents’ journey, not the end. CRE8 can effectively demonstrate success – 100% of delegates completing CRE8 were offered local employment opportunities. This is why it has evolved (targeted programmes) and expanded (delivered in other regions and divisions).

Graham
South Bank Quay

The South Bank Quay Social Value Initiative has been a great success having exceeded our initial commitments resulting in achieving 177% against target. GRAHAM worked closely with Teesworks (client) in order to ensure the community would benefit from the South Bank Quay projects for years to come. Investment in established community projects with the knowledge of local needs is imperative to ensure projects such as South Bank Quay leave a positive lasting impact in the communities and the people living in those communities.

Heidelberg Materials
Reading program with Chapter One

Heidelberg Materials UK is proud to be shortlisted for our collaborative efforts with Chapter One. Our collaboration harnesses the collective strength of our employees and supply chain partners to deliver meaningful social value and foster a culture of learning within local communities. Highlights of the partnership are:

  • 694 reading sessions and 300 hours of one-on-one reading support
  • Program extended to five UK regions, directly benefiting 61 children
  • Notable improvements in children's reading proficiency and confidence
  • 89% of reading sessions rated good
  • We will continue as a Gold Partner for the 2024-25 school year 

Myco 
Myco's Mycathlon

The MYCO team took on months of training to complete various cycling and running challenges for our MYCATHLON, raising over £39,000 for Make a Wish Foundation. We are so proud of everything everyone involved achieved, some of whom weren’t cyclists or runners before. The journey has been more than just a physical challenge; it’s been a testament to the power of community and the difference you can make when you come together for a worthy cause.

Reds10
Breaking down barriers

Reds10 is a purpose-driven business: ‘We exist to help everyone live, learn and thrive in amazing spaces.’ We are passionate about doing things that positively impact our people, our business, our clients and their customers and communities that we live and work in. We believe in the power of meaningful partnerships and engagements. Our particular focus this year has been creating sustainable career pathways into construction that will reshape the workforce. We have delivered tangible results, not least £7.4mil in social value, and hope that we will inspire others in our industry to join us in creating a better future.

United Living Property Services
Damp and mould awareness Minecraft module

United Living Property Services has developed an innovative, interactive learning module using Minecraft to educate young minds about the dangers of damp and mould and effective prevention methods. Set in a virtual home environment, players learn to identify signs of damp and mould, understand their health impacts and adopt preventative measures. Key outcomes include recognising moisture types and implementing ventilation strategies. By involving children in testing and refining the module, we ensured its effectiveness and engagement. This initiative exemplifies our commitment to community education and health, combining innovation with practical results.

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