ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

UK-based facilities services provider Churchill Grouphas published its latest social value report, outlining how the business has generated social value through four key themes - work, economy, community, and planet. The report was created and validated by Social Value Portal.

The largest share of this impact came from local employment. Defined as work carried out within 10 miles of each site's postcode, local hiring accounted for £275.7 million. Targeted recruitment also played a role, generating nearly £275,000 in social value and the equivalent of more than five full-time equivalent roles, through recruiting unemployed care leavers aged 16-25. And over eight full-time equivalent contracts were delivered to people experiencing long term unemployment, generating £443,000 in social value.

The organisation also continued a number of local partnerships with organisations such as West Lea, Shaw Trust, and Northern Rights to create employment opportunities for those who face barriers to work. More than 60 people have joined the business through its long standing partnership with the social enterprise Northern Rights alone, many of whom now play key roles across its North East transport cleaning teams.

The group also continued to invest in skills and progression - supporting around 2,100 weeks of apprenticeships across 15 different qualifications and delivering 415 hours of career support sessions, generating over £100,000 in social value. It also hosted insight days for groups who face barriers into employment, including neurodivergent young people and veterans.

Churchill also reduced plastic use by more than 38,000 kilograms, creating £4.4 million in social value. And it dedicated 625 volunteering hours to environmental improvement projects, generating nearly £11,000 in social value.

Charlotte Macdonald, social impact manager at Churchill Group, said: "This report is a chance to step back and recognise the impact of the work happening every day across our teams. A lot of that value comes from the places we operate in - creating jobs locally, supporting people into work, and taking responsibility for our environmental footprint. We're proud of what's been achieved this year, and just as focused on how we can build on it in the years ahead."