Octavius Managing Director Gavin Pritchard discusses how a focussed and proactive approach combined with long term delivery frameworks can provide the perfect catalyst to deliver impactful social value benefits.
Gavin highlights that whilst the headlines for social value achievements tend to focus on the monetary value, it is what sits beneath these headlines that is equally as important. His project teams focus on understanding and prioritising what is most beneficial for the communities that Octavius work in.
“It is not just about going out and doing good things, the priorities and needs of one local community can be very different from another. Therefore, ensuring we create the right balance between local value, employment, skills, education, sustainability, community and wellbeing benefits is crucial to real success.
Our social value promises are managed like any other project. This starts by being clear from the outset what the social value project goals are and what success looks like. Having the very best people involved, with the right skills and the best local connections guarantees we provide the very best social value benefits we can on the ground.”
Collaboration with local partners gives us the knowledge and assurance to develop initiatives and make commitments that will deliver the greatest long-term impact. Through the Eastern Highways Alliance (EHA) these partner engagements include valuable participants from several public authorities including Essex County Council, Norfolk County Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Fenland District Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Cambridge and Peterborough Combine Authority, Essex Highways and Environ.
Gavin adds “What I really get excited about is that through the EHA Framework we have delivered long-term benefits that really impact on people lives. The use of local businesses on our projects directly drives economic growth and local hires, work placements and apprenticeships opportunities bring new talent to the industry. Supporting local initiatives such as foodbanks and improving community facilities can also fundamentally improve life experiences of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society. These are just some examples of the significant activities that Octavius has delivered to contribute to a total headline figure of £42.7m of Social Value added through our EHA Framework.”
If you want to learn more about how Octavius assess, plan and implement social value programmes, or learn more about the social value initiatives achieved through the EHA Framework, please contact Mike.Todd@Octavius.co.uk.
