Social Value Policy

 Our Social Value Policy supports our organisational purpose ‘to assure a sustainable future’ through work and activities which reflect our core principles:

• We listen
• We are professional
• We take responsibility
• We are one team
• We are determined to succeed

We generate social value by working collaboratively with stakeholders to create maximum economic, social, and environmental benefits. By engaging with individuals, groups and businesses from the communities we work in, we identify and deliver activities which best support their needs and initiatives and promote sustainable change.

Throughout our work we ensure compliance with the Social Value Act (2012), Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015).  This policy supports commitments set out in our Responsible Business Policy.

Investing in communities and developing people

• We support educational curriculum activities including science, technology, engineering, and maths using local projects as a context for learning and engaging young people through classroom-based workshops, projects, careers support, site visits and work experience.
• Through partnerships with local employability providers we deliver tailored activities and learning experiences to upskill people from a range of backgrounds and help them move closer to employment opportunities.
• We engage with residents and community groups to maximise opportunities which support their initiatives and aspirations.
• To ensure the future sustainability of our workforce we take an inclusive approach to providing opportunities for our people and the wider community.

Supporting economies and the supply chain

• Throughout procurement we demonstrate and encourage fair working practices and responsible sourcing to make a positive impact on local businesses and communities.
• Our approach to supply chain engagement supports local, long-term investment through sustainable development of all members.
• We apply fair payment practices equally throughout our supply chain.
• Through our projects we actively support and encourage start-ups and social enterprises
• Our energy and sustainability accreditations set the benchmarks by which our businesses operate, underpinned by our quality policies and through embedded processes.
• We value our natural resources and actively seek to follow circular economy principles reduce waste and minimise environmental impacts.
• Our business commitments set the objectives for our performance on safety, quality, health, and environment.

 Principles for delivery of social value

• We understand that no two customers or areas are the same. We deliver through a common approach – guided by our principles – and activities that target specific community needs.
• We believe in the work we do and that by building relationships and creating positive change and benefits, we can leave a positive legacy in communities.
• We support our people to increase understanding of social value, and ways to promote and deliver demonstrable social value.
• We regularly monitor our performance and set long-term targets to measure the impact of our activities.
• We utilise feedback from employees, our supply chain, and other stakeholders to continually improve our performance.

We review our Social Value Policy annually to ensure it supports and reflects current legislation, best practice, and approach for delivering improved outcomes. By raising awareness of our Social Value Policy and with support from our employees, customers, supply chain partners and individuals and groups in our communities, we can continue to generate positive impact.  

Tom Locke
Managing Director
AW Construction Services Limited

Kahraman Ongul
Managing Director
AW Rail Services Limited

January 2024