Social Value

We believe a strategy that takes into account a wide stakeholder group is key to success. By taking care of our people, our clients and project partners, and the communities in which we operate – we don’t just add to our bottom line, we deliver lasting social, economic and environmental value for future generations.

  • A climate-positive business since 2020, we have removed more than 160 tonnes of carbon from our operations, and continue to seek ways to reduce our environmental impact both operationally and in the projects we deliver.
  • Our award-winning work is bringing benefits across our regions – regenerating communities and delivering more sustainable outcomes.  Visit our projects page for examples.
  • We work hard to attract talent from diverse backgrounds and to support our people as they grow in knowledge and confidence, helping nurture the next generation of engineers.
  • We look after our people, reward and recognise hard work, and provide paid volunteering leave to support a range of local and national causes.
  • We strive to improve service delivery and employ the very latest technologies to help us exceed client expectations. In fact, we were one of the first adopters of advanced 3D modelling technologies as early as 2008.

Nurturing talent

We support young people from all backgrounds who are interested in a career in construction and engineering. Since 2007 we have employed 17 apprentices and provided work experience to many students from local schools as well as year-in-industry placements for undergraduates.

Our apprenticeship programme establishes a career pathway to chartered engineer and beyond. We currently have eight apprentices and four graduate apprentices within the team, all of whom are being mentored by former apprentices who have now progressed to more senior roles at Adept.

We regularly attend careers fairs and host our own career days, helping share our passion for engineering and attract talent to the business.

Supporting our people and communities

We take time to make Adept a great place to work and help our people achieve a healthy work/life balance, supported by flexible/hybrid working, parental leave and other forward-thinking policies. All staff are entitled to two days’ paid volunteering leave which can be used for a cause of choice, team activity and/or to support client initiatives. From the Manchester Marathon to planting trees, our people have helped raise funds for many local and national causes and have supported numerous initiatives local to our offices.

Minimising our impact on the environment

An early signatory to the UK Civil Engineers Declare Climate & Biodiversity Emergency petition, we proactively share our knowledge with project partners to help deliver more environmentally-intelligent projects including:

  • Advising on carbon-neutral products
  • Considering all geotechnical processes
  • Proposing efficient resource use
  • Minimising waste going offsite
  • Promoting sustainable urban drainage systems
  • Embracing digitisation/ BIM to reduce waste

We have been a climate-positive business since 2020, having removed 160+ tonnes of carbon, and are involved in many high profile projects that bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the region.

Find out how we’re delivering our social value commitments.

Read our first Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Report

 

Our Corporate Values:
‘Engineering Better Together’

The aim of the Social Value Act 2012 is to encourage businesses to think beyond the financial outcomes of their work, by finding ways to improve the wellbeing of individuals, communities and the environment. The intentions of the Act have been incorporated into our business strategy for some years through our ‘Engineering Better Together’ philosophy which encompasses five key values: Care, Collaboration, Excellence, Innovation and Sustainability.

We Care about the wellbeing of our people, and the clients and communities we serve.

Joining forces with others increases Collaboration. Sharing knowledge and experience can help overcome challenges and increase resilience. We can play a positive role in the careers of our people and the creation of jobs that suit a wide range of skills.

We strive to maintain high standards of Excellence in business and project delivery and make our own contribution to tackling workforce inequality. We are clear about our commitment to equal employment opportunities and progression in the workplace. We lead our teams by example.

We use Innovation to help future-proof communities and encourage them to thrive. By working together and sharing skills we can help communities grow and prosper.

Engineering Better Together embeds a Sustainable approach throughout our activities, as we continue to tackle carbon emissions and support a more circular economy.