Social Value Policy Statement

Issue Date: June 2026

The widely recognised definition of social value is “the long-term, sustainable improvement for society that can be gained by promoting positive social, economic and environmental impact”.

Social value is an integral part of Stepnell’s vision and values. As a responsible contractor we want to make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy statement is to communicate to all Stepnell stakeholders our common approach to creating the maximum social value in the communities in which we work. We will assist our customers to maximise social, economic and environmental wellbeing of local communities in accordance with The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 and The Procurement Act 2023.

Scope

This policy applies to all Stepnell employees (including temporary), customers, sub-contractors, consultants and any third parties.

Our Policy

Through collaboration with our employees, customers, consultants, supply chain partners and stakeholders, Stepnell is committed to:

• Promoting local skills and employment by providing opportunities and apprenticeships for local people to gain new skills that create meaningful employment opportunities, by removing barriers to employment for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups and by promoting activities to inspire future generations into the industry.
• Supporting the growth of responsible regional business by providing local businesses with the skills to compete, by promoting ethical procurement and reducing inequalities, providing opportunities for local micro, small, medium-sized and minority businesses, voluntary, community and social enterprises and by procuring goods and services locally, while following our fair payment practices.
• Helping create healthier, safer and more resilient communities by building stronger and deeper relationships with our local communities, the voluntary and social enterprise sectors and by improving the wellbeing and mental health of our employees and supply chain partners.
• Decarbonising and safeguarding our world by promoting sustainable procurement and securing the long-term future of our planet by ensuring the efficient use of resources to manage and reduce our impact on the environment, by reducing our carbon emissions and by promoting circular economy solutions and life cycle assessment.

Governance, Measurement and Reporting

The Board of Directors will review this policy statement annually for content and applicability on our approach to sustainable development. This will act as the fundamental framework to assess whether our objectives and targets are being achieved, whilst working towards our sustainable aspirations.

We will encourage our employees to be responsible, to promote awareness and to participate fully in sustainable development initiatives that contribute to our objectives.

We are committed to:

• Maintaining clear accountability for delivering this policy.
• Measuring and reporting our social value impact, including local spend, by adopting the principles of the National Social Value Measurement Framework (National TOMs) to ensure a consistent standard is maintained.
• Continuously improving our standards, efficiency and effectiveness.

This policy statement will be communicated via the intranet and notice boards to all persons working for or on behalf of the business and made available to the public and other interested parties via our website.

It is the responsibility of individuals at all levels within our business to accept responsibility for working to achieve continual improvement towards sustainable development.

Signed:

Tom Wakeford