Social Value at Barnes

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Social value has been at the heart of Barnes Construction since 1978. Since the earliest days of the business, we have been committed to the communities in which we build and giving back more than just a building.

We aim to leave lasting, positive legacies in every community we serve. We do this by working collaboratively with our clients, educational establishments, community organisations, and our supply chain to deliver meaningful, local benefits.

Every project we undertake is supported by a bespoke social value plan designed to deliver meaningful economic, environmental, and social outcomes that reflect the needs of the local area. Alongside project-specific initiatives, we run a year-round programme of activities at company level, supporting charities, community groups, schools, and early careers development.

SARAH NORREY
Social Value Coordinator

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“I’m proud to be actively shaping our social value function and embedding it into everything we do. I’m passionate about making a difference, and I thrive on building meaningful connections and uncovering opportunities within our communities where we can make a tangible, lasting impact on people’s daily lives.

I also love helping people discover the real, long-term career opportunities that exist within the construction industry. My role is about generating awareness of the many pathways available, supporting individuals to identify the one that is right for them, and helping them take that first step towards it with confidence.

What makes this work so rewarding is how naturally it aligns with our company culture. Being a caring and responsible business is simply how Barnes Construction operates. It’s reflected in our decisions, our relationships, and our everyday actions.”

Our Social Value

The Latest Stats

Our Social Value

Spend with Local SMEs

Money generated through utilising “local” supply chains (typically within 40 miles of the site). This is money that is reinvested into the local economy, creating jobs and training and providing additional benefit to the investment.

Training Hours (2023/24)

Demonstrating our commitment to consistently supporting our staff and site teams with continuing professional development.

Community and Charity Investment

Delivering at least 1% of our profit margin to charitable causes each year.

Waste Diverted from Landfill

Diverting at least 98% of our waste from landfill each year.

Case Study 1: Lowestoft Post Office

Case Study 1: Lowestoft Post Office

Social value has been at the heart of the Lowestoft Post Office redevelopment. With over £2 million in social value on track to be delivered, the project has become a catalyst for meaningful engagement and collaboration.

From the beginning, we have taken the time to understand the needs of the area, meeting with local groups and individuals to identify where our support could make a real difference. One of our early partnerships was with Lowestoft Men’s Shed, a community group focused on wellbeing through making and mending. We were pleased to donate power sanding tools for community projects such as bird feeders, planters, and habitat boxes.

We also teamed up with a local community artist to transform the site hoarding with vibrant artwork. The project helped build connections with a neighbouring property for vulnerable adults and even opened up new volunteering opportunities. Our support through a donation for the Friends of Fen Park enabled them to host Nature and Wildlife Activity Days for local families.

Education has been a key focus. We have welcomed construction students from East Coast College in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth for site visits and careers talks, giving them real-world insight and inspiration for the future.

To celebrate these partnerships, we hosted a steel signing event at the former Post Office site, where our collaborators left messages that will be embedded in the building’s structure.
Case Study 2: Multiskills Academy

Case Study 2: Multiskills Academy

Driven by our work on two major Lowestoft projects, the transformation of the former Post Office into an arts space and the restoration of the Town Hall, we are proud to sponsor a six-week Multiskills Academy delivered by Lofty Heights for local residents.

Lofty Heights supports 16-24 year olds not in education, employment, or training, helping them build confidence, skills, and career prospects in construction. Having partnered with the organisation for over a year, we’ve seen the difference their programmes make firsthand.

When Lofty Heights set out to make their academy mobile, we saw an opportunity to extend that impact in Lowestoft. Our sponsorship enables a dedicated local academy to offer hands-on training across key trades and certifications including CSCS, Working at Height, and First Aid. To boost employability, we’re also providing site visits, CV workshops, mock interviews and work experience placements to help connect others with opportunities through our local supply chain partners.

Measuring What Matters

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We recognise that delivering measurable and meaningful social value is increasingly important to our clients and communities. To support our commitment to excellence in this area, we’ve adopted Thrive, a leading social value measurement platform.

Thrive uses the Impact Evaluation Standard (IES), a robust framework of 113 metrics developed by industry experts in line with the UK Government’s Green Book Guidance. The IES builds upon and aligns directly with the Government’s Social Value Model, ensuring our approach is both credible and consistent.

This enables us to accurately measure and report the social value we generate, not only at individual project level but across our company as a whole. It’s a powerful tool that helps us demonstrate the real-world impact of our work and continuously improve the value we deliver.

latest social value activities

Construction Skills Course for Young People in Lowestoft Gets Underway

Extreme Abseil Returns to Ipswich Hospital

A Greener Future at our Ipswich Head Office

2024 sees Barnes Construction donate £44,291 to charities and good causes

Art Trail Brings Colour and Community to Suffolk

Suffolk Sports Day back for 2024

Official Opening of The Shack for FIND Charity

Two Well Established Construction Businesses Collaborate To Offer Apprenticeship Bursary

view all social value news

“I have always experienced a friendly but professional environment created by Barnes Construction, whom continually strive to go the ‘extra mile’ to support the delivery of a project. I believe this is fundamental to a good working relationship and a successful project.”
Matthew Self, Director, Concertus Design and Property Consultants
“It is a real credit to all those involved and to the collaborative ‘will-do’ approach taken by the designers and contractors alike. The students at Sybil Andrews Academy are in awe of their surroundings which act as a real inspiration in and out of the classroom. Sybil Andrews Academy is an incredible achievement in designing and building a new 21st century educational and sports facility from a standing start – and all within two years.”
Tim Coulson, Chief Executive of the Samuel Ward Academy Trust
“We have always found Barnes Construction’s approach to working within the student environment (and sensitive residents) to be understanding and compliant with College needs. This is the third major project that Barnes have worked on since 2016 – two of them won through competitive tender.”
Deborah Griffin, Homerton College, Cambridge
“Barnes’ team took on our project and engaged in our charity work right from the beginning, willing to work with everyone in our team and share their enthusiasm for our new building. Communication was excellent, and we felt confident that they would deliver right from the beginning. A pleasure to work with.”
Steve Smith, CEO, Havens Hospices
“In our 15+ years of dealing with Barnes they have delivered every project to an extremely high standard, within budget and on programme. The repeat business gained form this performance is a testament of their ability and attitude. Barnes are a forward-thinking contractor with traditional values.”
AMA Architects, Cambridge
“Throughout the works, Barnes Construction performed extremely well. From programme planning through day-to-day liaison and dealing with unforeseen issues to ensure the works went smoothly. They helped resolve issues and ensure that where possible, the disruption to services were kept to a minimum.”
Andy Bere, Asset Manager & Client Lead Officer, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
“Barnes has performed with strong communication and efficiency. With this we have a library and auditorium, which has a high quality finish. Barnes approached this project with a pragmatic ‘can do’ attitude and found ways to smooth over nearly all issues, often before the College needed to be involved.”
Martin Pierce (Bursar) and Chris Hurcomb (Operations Manager), Selwyn College
“Barnes have once again excelled in delivering, on time, a top quality refurbishment of a student hostel. The project was not without its complications, being a mix of eclectic buildings ranging from Edwardian to Tudor and Graded. The quality was excellent, with the project team and Barnes aiming high with respect to sustainability and thermal improvements to the old buildings, with the addition of alternatives to fossil fuels being installed. I have again been most impressed with the can do attitude and approach, and look forward to working with Barnes in the future.”
Philip Isaac, King’s College, Cambridge
“What made this project different from most construction projects, and really proved the quality of the individuals concerned, was the extent to which they not only tolerated, but actively helped us to involve the local community in the project. The Barnes team handled this graciously and patiently. I did say at the hand-over ceremony that I was very impressed by the Barnes team, and this view has only been strengthened since, as the after-construction care is as commendable as the service received during construction.”
Adri van der Colff, Project Manager, Gainsborough Community Library
“Barnes have been highly collaborative and flexible including integrating shift work to accelerate the works at stages resulting from business continuity pressures. The onsite presence in terms of engagement has been professional and responsive and H & S and project management have also been excellent.”
Dyfrig Walters, Accommodation Strategy Programme Manager, London Borough of Redbridge
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Office 6 Bermuda Road, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich , Suffolk, IP3 9RU
Email owl@barnesconstruction.co.uk
Phone 01473 272222