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We provided multidisciplinary support for new housing delivery across several sites for Bristol City Council.

The project was important – both to our client and to us – that we added as much social value as possible during the contract. By reaching out to local community groups and schools, we were able to understand what they needed and find ways that we could help.

Location

  • Bristol - UK

Client

  • Bristol city council

Training carbon champions and engaging with local schools

When we asked Lockleaze Community Trust what they wanted, they told us about their climate champions. These members of the community encourage people to understand their carbon footprint and to make a difference by reducing their emissions. “Could we help train the champions?” the Trust asked us. So, we stepped up, provided webinars on the circular economy, recycling, and how to understand and improve someone’s carbon footprint. 

For local schools, two of our team became Enterprise Advisers; the key purpose of this role is to create a link between schools and the world of business. We’d hoped to offer work experience placements, but Covid restrictions meant these couldn’t go ahead. Instead, we worked with the Bristol Brunel Academy School to offer virtual talks that made the most of the expertise we have at WSP, in addition to hosting mock interviews for year 11 pupils. For geography, students received a presentation from one of our travel planners. A member of our HR team talked to pupils in a business studies lesson. And a member of our marketing team joined pupils for an English lesson. This creative approach to careers was nominated for an award by the West of England Careers Hub.

Generated with local labour
£18,626
Spent with local businesses
£279,000
Spent with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
£26,692
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Charitable Giving

Other activities included offering community groups accessibility audits for their buildings. The audits identified changes required to ensure anyone can use the buildings, whatever their ability. Brighter Places housing association and the Trinity Centre, a community arts venue, were two organisations that took advantage of this. We also undertook fundraising. One of our team members completed a Land’s End to John O’Groats sponsored bike ride, raising £570 for homelessness charity LandAid’s East Street Mews Homeless project.

Employing local people and spending with local businesses

Where possible, we ensured that project team members lived locally in Bristol – this endeavour generated £18,626 in local labour (based on the National TOMs framework). The project also spent over £279,000 with local businesses; firms such as employee-owned architecture and design practice Stride Treglown, and a further £26,692 with MSMEs, smaller companies such as digital consultation platform specialist Participatr. Improving staff wellbeing and cutting the time they spend commuting are important aspects of social value. So, we took measures to look after our own people.

Once lockdown was over, we cut the need for people to travel to meetings – reducing commuting time. And we offered schemes to help people who were keen to cycle rather than drive. Using WSP’s THRIVE wellbeing programme also led to activities such as yoga that encouraged movement during the day.  Team members met regularly to share opportunities they’d found to help local groups in Bristol, celebrated successes and discussed the activities they would be comfortable doing. This ensured that adding social value remained front and centre throughout the project.

This approach saw us deliver £344,630 of social and local economic value – equivalent to over 45% of the contract value and exceeding our target.

It can be frustrating for community groups when people tell them what they need rather than ask them what they want. So, we contacted key community groups in the areas surrounding the housing sites and asked them for ideas about how we could help.

Other challenges that we have overcome