Wates hits million pound milestone for social enterprises with SCAPE
As part of our partnership with leading public procurement framework SCAPE, Wates maximises Social Value outcomes for every project we complete.
Since becoming a member of the SCAPE family in 2017, we’ve delivered 14 projects and have built in a key focus around trading with as many social enterprises as possible on each job. Thanks to this strategic focus we recently managed to hit a huge milestone spending more than £1 million with Social Enterprises (SEs) on SCAPE jobs.
Supporting SEs is a key part of our commitment to communities investing in businesses which direct profits towards tackling social or environmental problems, improve people’s life chances through better education and training opportunities, and support communities through social investment.
We bring SEs on board on our builds to support a wide variety of needs including cleaning, catering, stationery, waste management and even way finding signage. Through this approach we have built long standing relationships with several companies across the country over the years.
The incredible £1 million milestone has been reached by supporting 28 Social Enterprises in total, on SCAPE projects around the country, which have included Nottingham City Hub, Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Smethwick and Gibside SEN School for Gateshead Council.
Some of the biggest spend has supported companies like Recycling Lives which provides waste management services to support programmes for offender rehabilitation, residential support and food redistribution and Jericho, which provides a range of services to help disadvantaged people into employment.
It has been a true pleasure working with Wates. Through their generosity over the years Jericho have been able to support a total of 16 people by helping them back into work. Thank you to a company that totally understands Social Value.”
Nigel Lawrence
Senior Social Enterprise Manager at Jericho
Other long-term SE partners which have benefited considerably through our SCAPE builds include Radiant Cleaners, Nuneaton Signs, Streetwise Environmental and the Tarem Foundation.
It is a huge achievement to hit the £1m spend mark on SCAPE projects and something I and our whole team are exceptionally proud of. As a values-based, family business, Wates takes a long-term perspective towards Social Value, striving to build and maintain communities as it does the structures within them. This includes supporting and scaling Social Enterprise wherever possible, alongside tackling inequality and inspiring and educating young people.
Before we start on site at any project, we’ve already mapped out how we can ensure local SEs are benefiting, setting targets for each site, regional league tables, appointing dedicated Social Enterprise Champions and holding regular reviews with Wates’ core SCAPE team to make sure we’re on track.
Support from like-minded partners such as SCAPE helps to create business conditions that enable the support of the SE sector and together, we can achieve greater impact for society. We work closely with the framework and its other major delivery partners through our Social Enterprise Working Group. We will have some big news later this year about an industry-wide SE tool that is being developed in a truly collaborative way with SCAPE family partners.”
Su Pickerill
Head of Social Value at Wates
Delivering exceptional Social Value goes beyond our SCAPE commitments building for the community is part of Wates’ DNA and something that each member of our team takes seriously and is proud to deliver.
As a new starter at Wates, I am really inspired by the genuine drive by both Wates and SCAPE to push the use of Social Enterprises in the built environment sector. It’s crucial that we continue to support and promote businesses that not only offer an excellent standard of quality and service, but for whom social responsibility is fundamental and not just a “bolt-on”.
I am pleased to play my part and will be helping to introduce regular Social Enterprise Spotlight lunchtime briefings for Wates colleagues to find out about new SE supply chain partners that they can work with.”
Edward Thomas
Business Administration Apprentice at Wates Group
Scape recognises the positive impact created when buying from a business that reinvests profits into projects or initiatives that improve people’s lives, their environment and well-being. Social Enterprises are the most effective tools to improve social and environmental conditions, which is why supporting them is a key framework requirement.
We would like to congratulate Wates on their tremendous achievement of spending over £1m with social enterprises on SCAPE projects, which demonstrates their firm commitment to support and strengthen the social enterprise sector.”
Alison Ramsey
Social Value & Performance Manager at SCAPE
