About social value

Our network is vital to the country, connecting communities, enabling economic growth and providing access to jobs, education, healthcare and essential services. With that reach comes responsibility: to ensure the benefits we deliver go far beyond infrastructure. 

Social value is central to how we work. It's not an add-on; it's a core outcome of everything we do. We define social value as the measurable benefits we and our supply chain create for people, the environment and the economy. 

Delivering social value through procurement

We're committed to embedding the Government’s Social Value Model across our procurement and contract delivery activities. By using our purchasing power responsibly, we aim to create lasting benefits for communities, support economic growth and provide opportunities for people who face barriers to employment.

For relevant procurements, we work with suppliers to deliver social value through two key outcomes:

Good jobs

We encourage our supply chain to create and sustain high-quality employment opportunities, particularly in the communities where we operate.

This includes:

• supporting local recruitment and job creation
• promoting fair pay and good working conditions
• creating inclusive and accessible workplaces
• supporting workforce wellbeing
• providing opportunities for learning, development and career progression

By helping more people access sustainable employment, we contribute to stronger local economies and ensure communities benefit from investment in the strategic road network.

Supporting economic prosperity

Our approach helps drive economic growth by:

• supporting local businesses, SMEs, voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises
• encouraging local spend and investment within communities
• improving productivity through a resilient and connected strategic road network
• contributing to apprenticeships, skills development and education initiatives
• supporting regional economic prosperity and long-term growth

Supporting community wellbeing

We also work with suppliers to deliver wider community benefits, including:

• promoting safe and active travel opportunities
• enhancing community facilities and amenities
• improving connections within and between communities
• helping create places where people want to live, work, learn and spend time
• supporting community education, heritage and engagement programmes

Skills and opportunity

Developing skills and creating opportunities is central to our social value approach.

We work with suppliers to address skills shortages and build future talent pipelines through:

• apprenticeships
• work experience placements
• training and development programmes
• career mentoring and progression opportunities
• retraining and upskilling initiatives

We place particular emphasis on supporting people who may face barriers to employment, including:

• young people and school leavers
• people not in education, employment or training (NEETs)
• care leavers
• veterans
• people with disabilities or long-term health conditions
• ex-offenders
• individuals returning to work or changing careers

By creating pathways into employment and supporting ongoing development, we help build a diverse workforce while contributing to the long-term prosperity of the communities we serve.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We're committed to creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds and supporting a more inclusive society. Through our supply chain, we encourage initiatives that:

• increase employment and development opportunities for underrepresented groups
• support women, ethnic minority groups, veterans, carers, disabled people and LGBTQ+ individuals
• create opportunities for those who are new to industry or returning to work
• promote flexible and inclusive ways of working
• improve accessibility across the strategic road network
• help reduce inequalities and widen access to employment

Creating lasting impact

Together, these priorities underpin how we deliver social value through our projects, partnerships and supply chain activities. By investing in people, skills and communities, we aim to create meaningful, measurable benefits that extend beyond the infrastructure we deliver and leave a positive legacy for future generations.