Corporate and Social Responsibility Policy

This document sets out Playle & Partners LLP approach to Social Value and Corporate and Social Responsibility, we also take our responsibility to sustainability and environmental issues seriously and have an Environmental and Sustainable Development Policy which is to be read in conjunction with this policy.

All members of staff, secondees, agency staff and third parties are responsible for ensuring that this Policy is adhered to in accordance with our Core Values – One Team, Can Do, Trust, Flexible. The importance of Social Value and Corporate and Social Responsibility is shown by this being raised as an Agenda Item in our weekly team meetings, our regular management meetings as well as in the governance structure described below.

Corporate Social Responsibility can help an organisation to show it is socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. To be considered as socially responsible, a company’s activities should benefit society. To be considered environmentally sustainable, a company’s activities should not harm the environment.

OUR PARTNERSHIP FOCUS:

• We shall strive to improve our environmental performance through implementation of our Environmental and Sustainable Development Policy.
• We shall ensure a high level of business performance while minimising and effectively managing risk through implementation of our Health & Safety Policy.
• Through effective partnerships, we shall continue our initiatives on water efficiency, safe recreational use of water, education and environmental improvement within the community.
• We shall encourage dialogue with local communities for mutual benefit.
• We shall support and encourage our employees to help local community organisations and activities in our region.
• We shall operate an equal opportunities policy for all present and potential future employees.
• We will offer our employees clear and fair terms of employment and provide resources to enable their continual development.
• We shall maintain a clear and fair employee remuneration policy and shall maintain forums for employee consultation and business involvement.
• We shall provide, and strive to maintain, a clean, healthy and safe working environment
• We shall uphold the values of honesty, partnership and fairness in our relationships
• Our contracts will clearly set out the agreed terms, conditions and the basis of our relationship
• We will operate in a way that safeguards against unfair business practices and in accordance with our professional memberships such as RICS ethics.

Governance

Playle & Partners LLP has a comprehensive governance structure for our Social Value, ensuring it is delivered, reported on, and continuously improved and developed. Our governance includes the Social Value Champions, a sub-group of our Senior Management Team.

The Group:

• Meets regularly.
• Is responsible for the monitoring of all social value initiatives / commitments and performance across the organisation and for individual contracts.
• Is responsible for ensuring that appropriate quantitative and qualitative data is collected, analysed, and reported to the Senior Management Team.
• Reports directly to the senior Management Team.

Social Value is a concept defined in the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2013. The Act requires all public sector organisations and their suppliers to look beyond the financial cost of a contract and consider how the services or works that are being delivered as part of a contract might improve the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of the Contracting Authority.

Reinforcing the work already started on Social Value nationally through the 2012 Social Value Act; the government has issued a new National Procurement Policy Statement that sets requirements for local authorities to consider the following national priority outcomes alongside any additional local priorities in their procurement activities:

• creating new businesses, new jobs, and new skills.
• tackling climate change.
• reducing waste.
• improving supplier diversity, innovation, and resilience.

Social Value is the added value secured from the delivery of services and supplies that can help to deliver additional social, economic, or environmental benefits. Such benefits can improve people’s lives, enhance social identity, enable, and foster cohesion and wellbeing and make informed and ethical choices.

Where possible we will contribute to the following key areas:

SOCIAL

• Supporting the reduction of social exclusion, isolation, and inequalities.
• Generating education, training and employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups excluded from the workplace.
• Designing services which take account of different needs including disadvantaged groups.
• Engaging the local voluntary and community sector.
• Generating positive health outcomes for local people.

We proactively identify and record Social Value within all aspects of our Works. The consideration of Social Value helps to identify opportunities to deliver these outcomes. As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, we aim to give something back in three main areas: Local, National and Staff-led initiatives.

STAFF LED

Individual sponsorship for involvement in challenges such as the Great North Run, London Marathon, Three Peaks Challenge, Race for Life and The Demelza Italian Job, have also been promoted on behalf of Playle & Partners LLP staff members.

CHARITABLE RELATIONSHIPS

Playle & Partners LLP has established charitable links within the areas we work. We continue these relationships with the aim of having a lasting impact on the local community.

As part of our continued commitment to the Construction Consultancy Frameworks that we are a part of, we deliver added value for our clients and local communities; and encourage participation from all staff.