THE RISE OF ‘S’ IN ESG - ENSURING A JUST TRANSITION
A socially responsible ethos has been part of the Winvic Way since day one and the goals of our Sustainability Strategy Community Pillar are focussed on enhancing the economic, social, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of local communities. We focus on understanding local needs to tailor our activities including offering employment and training opportunities and we volunteer time and resources to educate young people and supporting charities.
We are benefiting and enhancing the communities in which we work by:
- keeping communities safe and informed and mitigating inconveniences
- working with educational partners to inspire young people around the world of work
- donating voluntary hours and materials to community groups, especially sustainable projects
- sourcing goods and services from local businesses
We have been supporting community aspirations by also adding new Voluntary Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) to our supply chain. Real lives have been positively impacted by these partnerships, for example, Nuneaton Signs, a social enterprise which employs people with disabilities, has been able to create four 12-month traineeships for young people as a result of our signage requirements.
We are also a Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) partner, so we adhere to a code of considerate practice considering the needs of our workforce, the public and the environment. Turn to page 18 to learn about the 2023 CCS Awards and which of our recent projects achieved a 45 out of 45 CCS score.
out of 45 CCS scores
TEAMWORK, COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
Winvic works with clients, their partners and local authorities to fulfil other social value targets, such as ones specified by the client or Section 106 agreements. But whatever the drivers, the goals are always to leave a positive legacy and to make the greatest impact possible in communities with the greatest need.
When we partner early on in a project, we’re able to offer our guidance on what can realistically be achieved, targets and actions can be set collaboratively, and flexibility can be baked in to ensure that new ideas can flourish and opportunities aren’t discounted. Collaboration also helps to make sure that actions are pragmatic and directly linked to opportunities that make a difference – whether that’s providing a training course that will lead to an immediate on-site job opportunity or learning exactly what a community group needs to improve its offering. As a team we find we can be more reactive in supporting people through challenging economic shifts and a grass-roots approach gets to the heart of issues in vulnerable and deprived communities. Page 17 and 18 details some of the impact and benefits we’ve delivered to communities as part of project social value strategies and it’s easy to see how more truly collaborative partnerships results in more meaningful outcomes.
GRINNING FROM WINNING
The awards we win illustrate our commitment to clients and communities, celebrate the determination of and dedication to our teams, and endorse the excellent project outcomes and community impact that we achieve. In 2023 alone we have been finalists for a whole host and that in itself is wonderful recognition.
We are delighted to be able to announce that our Peddimore Social Value Strategy – which you can read about on page 17 – has been awarded Social Value Project of the Year by Midlands branch of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA). And on page 18, we talk about the six Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) Leading Lights awards as well as our projects that were awarded top scores by CCS assessors. Our successful use of revolutionary combined noise and dust monitoring equipment that has Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology integrated – not been previously utilised in the UK construction sector – has won a Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice. Each noise monitor not only captures audio clips when any noise exceedance limit is detected, but it also identifies different sources of noise – for example sirens, vehicles, birds or machinery. The recordings are automatically stored on a cloud-based system that is accessible to Winvic’s operational teams for playback and investigation but also the apparatus is equipped with a 4G SIM card. This allows a text and email with the corresponding sound recording to be immediately sent to nominated team members if a noise exceeds the set level.
Considerate Constructors Leading Lights Awards
We’ve seen a greater focus on potential noise and dust nuisance impacts, which has resulted in a reduction in complaints in comparison to sites utilising conventional noise monitoring equipment. We’ve noted a significant reduction in time spent by our operational teams in the identification of reported environmental noise and we’re able to take any corrective action rapidly. For the Building Innovation Awards we were shortlisted under four categories and were recognised as Highly Commended for the Most Innovative Contractor Award thanks to our tenacity to challenge industry norms and explore innovative products, methodologies and designs. From internal research and development to extensive work with our supply chain, we’re very proud to be acknowledged for progressing sustainably focused, cost saving and efficiency driven ideas into reality. We have also demonstrated high health and safety standards to the internationally-recognised RoSPA Award for the twelfth year in 2023, and also because we have achieved twelve consecutive Gold Awards, we received a RoSPA President’s Award.
consecutive RoSPA Gold Awards
“At the heart of any social value strategy is having an excellent understanding of community needs, which encompasses training, employment, engaging local businesses and providing support to groups and charities. However, to ensure delivery is successful and that the benefits are meaningful and long-lasting to people, a collaborative approach is crucial. We can learn more, generate more ideas, reach more people and change more lives when we work as one team – so that’s exactly what we do.”