From Intent to Delivery: The Latest SRAG Charter Mark Awards

Five organisations. Five different starting points. One growing expectation: that social value strategy must increasingly align with real operational delivery, workforce practice and measurable community impact.

United Utilities, First Bus, Avove, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales and Lidl GB received SRAG Charter Mark recognition at the May Summit in Manchester, with awards presented by PeoplePlus CEO Kenny Boyle.

For some organisations in the room, it was the first time they had met employers progressing through the SRAG Charter Mark journey.

From Bronze, to Silver, to Ambassador level, the latest recipients reflected growing maturity in how social value commitments are being structured, evidenced and embedded.

The Charter framework exists to help organisations examine, evidence and strengthen their operational alignment with social value commitments over time. Mirroring the UK Government’s Social Value Model and evolving procurement legislation, the framework looks beyond standalone initiatives to examine how organisations connect social value ambition to operational delivery across areas such as early careers, supply chains, recruitment, progression, partnerships, community impact, wellbeing and workforce culture and more.

Why this matters beyond recruitment

One of the strongest messages emerging through Charter progress right now is that social value maturity is not dependent on periods of high-volume recruitment. Many organisations are navigating tighter labour markets, economic pressure, shifting procurement expectations and changing workforce needs simultaneously. In that environment, the ability to evidence meaningful social impact, build stronger partnerships, support communities credibly and align strategy with delivery capability becomes increasingly important.

For some organisations, the Charter journey begins and stays with recruitment, with opportunity extending from there. For others, it begins with skills, such as building apprenticeships, or legacy, with community partnerships, or procurement, with supply chains. Then there's employability, workforce culture or local impact priorities. What connects them is a willingness to examine how opportunity is created operationally, and how social value becomes something visible, measurable and sustainable over time.

Different organisations. Different starting points. Common purpose.

Avove received Bronze recognition for its growing work around early careers inclusion and creating a culture where opportunity is actively passed on across the organisation. Reflecting publicly after the event, Talent and Attraction Manager Amelia Roberts described social value as “the aspect of my role that I feel most passionate about”, while positioning the recognition as part of an ongoing organisational journey rather than a finished destination.

First Bus also achieved Bronze recognition, reflecting work around social recruitment, Routes to Work activity in Sheffield, and a strong focus on early careers. Early Careers and Talent Acquisition Lead Mike Gorman, who picked up the award for First Bus, described gathering the evidence for the submission as one of the most valuable projects he had undertaken since joining the organisation. That observation reflects a theme increasingly seen across Charter submissions: the process itself helps organisations identify, connect and better understand activity that is already happening across recruitment, operations, social value, people teams and community partnerships.

Annie Gale, Strategic Employment Lead, received the award for The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales - achieving Bronze recognition for the Homewards programme and for using its convening power in service of wider social impact goals around homelessness prevention and systems collaboration.

United Utilities achieved Silver recognition for taking a broad strategic approach to social value delivery, including deliberate use of the apprenticeship levy to support local SMEs. Gareth Ellis-Roberts, who collected the award alongside Laura Spyrou, reflected afterwards on the organisation’s commitment to reducing barriers into work and continuing to strengthen community impact through its work with SRAG, supported by events like May's Summit.

What mature practice looks like

Lidl GB, at the highest level recognised during the Summit, received the Ambassador Charter Mark for sector-leading practice, transparent reporting, active mentoring of other employers, and championing the Social Recruitment Covenant nationally. Ambassador recognition reflects organisations where social value and inclusive employment principles are no longer treated as separate projects, but are increasingly embedded within mainstream business operations and external leadership activity.

For employers earlier in their own journey, that visibility matters. One of the clearest themes emerging across SRAG is that organisations are looking for practical models, operational confidence and peer learning, not high-level commitments.

A framework shaped by the organisations within it

In addition to Bronze, Silver and Ambassador recognition, the Charter framework also includes Gold and Patron levels. No two evidence bases, at any level, are the same.

Each reflects the unique operational context, priorities, culture and strengths of the organisation involved, while also requiring clear evidence, reflection and accountability. That is part of what makes the process valuable. The assessment journey often helps organisations better understand where social value activity already exists across their business, where it is becoming embedded operationally, and where there are opportunities to strengthen delivery further over time.

Patron recognition has not yet been awarded, but the continued progression of organisations now including Lidl GB, joining Sodexo UK & Ireland, Mitie, M Group Highways and Birmingham Metropolitan College at Ambassador level, demonstrates how expectations around measurable, embedded social value practice are maturing at pace across the network.