Futures Social Values

Futures is proud to announce that we:

• Recruit locally, with 90% staff living within 15 miles of the workplace.
• Support local independent and small businesses, with over 40% supply chain local providers.
• Champion and actively engage with local charitable causes and campaigns.
• Invest in staff wellbeing, provide counselling, access to mental health support services and encourage staff to participate in active volunteering events and socials which contribute towards physical and social wellbeing (e.g. climbing, axe throwing, rounders, walks).
• Support staff development and training (including apprenticeships) to retain good, local talent, with a significant number of staff having trained and moved up in the organisation into higher paying roles.
• Invest in green technologies to improve environmental efficiencies and reduce emissions. We recently secured 50% funding towards the cost of an improved energy efficient air conditioning unit via The Resource Efficiency Fund part funded by the ERDF.
• Working with an independent consultant, have recently developed our Social Value Commitment. This guidance document sets out the practical, simple steps suppliers can take to embed social value in their own operations.
• Have effective Account Management processes in place to ensure Social Value is delivered across all our contracts and programmes.
• Were awarded a number of accolades and endorsements in recognition of our fair, responsible behaviours and policies, and good practice including the Prompt Payment Code, Disability Confident Employer, Armed Forces Covenant Signatory.

We have a workforce and culture that reflect the diversity of the local community 

We provide a suite of training and learning opportunities such as work shadowing, accredited training, online courses and resources to help retain staff and grow their skills.

As a specialist small firm, rooted in the local community and the residents it serves, we employ apprentices, recruit locally and maximize spend through our local MSME and VCSE base.

We advocate Ethical Procurement and raise awareness of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery

We have a Modern Slavery Statement and process in place to ensure our supply chain have taken steps to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. This is verified during our due diligence process and renewed annually as minimum. We only source ethical, responsible suppliers through a robust due diligence process, ensuring our suppliers have sustainability practices in place.

We strike to create a healthier community and working with communities

Initiatives are currently in place, including volunteering at local charities, wellbeing activities, walking meetings, sponsored fundraising and partnerships with local services.

Sustainable Development

We consider the wider economic, social and environmental benefits and impact in the way we deliver services. Our Sustainable Development Policy provides the framework in which we identify, understand and evaluate resulting environmental aspects and impacts and prioritise action to address or mitigate them.

Process for defining Social Value outcomes on specific projects and contracts

The way in which we will define the priorities will be different for each customer, and as a result the measurement of our social value outcomes are proportionate and relevant to each call-off contract or specific project.  We typically apply the following universal criteria to define outcomes:

• Will it deliver improved service design and better outcomes for local residents, businesses and communities?
• Will it deliver on one or more of our Social Value themes, and those set for the contract?
• Do we have the capabilities, resource and expertise to deliver these outcomes?
• Will our outcomes achieve any added value or wider benefits?
• Who are our specific stakeholders, and what does Social Value mean to them?

Process for monitoring, measurement and reporting outcomes

In order for the potential benefits of our social value approach to be successfully realised we apply a consistent and coordinated approach to measuring, monitoring and reporting our social value achievements and outcomes. Where possible, we assess all ‘Proxy Values’ of planned activities to calculate, assess and report on the financial impact that any measure will make using the National TOM principles.

Continuous Improvement & Social Value Realisation 

There is a huge range of possibilities for us to better support our Public Sector customers to deliver better social value outcomes. As Anchor Institutions embedded in communities across the UK, we want to work more with our customers to support their plans and set further improvement targets for our company.

There are many different approaches and metrics being used by Public Sector customers to deliver and measure social value. We want to work with all parties to further build our understanding of good practice and effective measurement techniques. This will involve working with colleagues and customers to share expertise and best practice on social value evaluation. We will continue to adjust our methods as we learn and will involve our suppliers and customers in this process.