Social Value
Social Value is a term used to describe the difference an organisation or project can make to the community they are operating in.
Introduction
This page aims to act as an adaptable template that identifies how Asckey can meet the four themes of the Government social value requirements that have been shared as part of the Governments priorities. Social value has been classified into the following categories:
- Sustainability/Climate change
- Tackling economic equality
- Equal opportunity
- Wellbeing
The NHS also allocates social value up to 10% weighting in all tenders, no matter the value. Asckey’s largest client base is within the NHS so it’s important that we meet the requirements. Not just for the NHS but for other businesses who are looking to work with companies that place social value highly in their priorities.
Climate change/Sustainability
Outcome: Effective stewardship of the environment.
Response: The nature and value of the contracts fulfilled by Asckey fall under the £5 million threshold which means we are not required to supply a Carbon Reduction Plan. However, Asckey is committed to safeguarding the environment and minimising our environmental impact as best we can.
We are a software development company; therefore, our environmental impact is low, but we have made a carbon pledge to be net-zero by 2030. We recognise that sustainability and social value are important to our clients, especially those within the NHS.
Asckey is accredited with ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental) which forms part of our integrated management system, along with ISO 9001:2015 (Quality) and ISO 27001:2013 (Data Security). These accreditations are independently audited to help identify areas of continuous improvement in business performance and our sustainability performance. The development and integration of an Environmental Management System into our business processes strengthens our commitment to our clients and the environment.
We have an environmental policy that outlines how our business intends to maintain a minimal environmental impact. This includes ensuring responsible use of energy throughout our business, including conserving energy and improving energy efficiency. It also includes regularly reviewing our Impacts and Aspects Register to assess current mitigations and to identify further opportunities for development.
Being a software development company, Asckey has relatively limited opportunities to significantly increase our sustainability goals. However, our software enables clients to digitise their paper-based processes and therefore we can support their personal sustainability goals by reducing paper waste.
Most of our external sales and support activities are undertaken online which enables us to keep our travel costs to a minimum. We have the resources and capability to successfully conduct product demonstrations and training for prospective and existing clients.
Tackling economic inequality
Outcome: Increase supply chain resilience and capacity.
Response: As an SME software company, our impact on tackling economic inequality is minimal. However, we are committed to working with small, diverse, and high-quality suppliers. We are also accredited with Cyber Essentials Plus which further supports our commitment to managing cyber security risks in the delivery of our client contracts.
Our procurement process aims to control externally supplied products and services to obtain the best financial outcome for the company. All whilst meeting the requirements of our customers and our integrated management system that is accredited to ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental) and ISO 27001:2013 (Data Security).
To ensure quality and consistency in the development and support of our applications, as well as ensuring we meet the specific data security requirements, we do not outsource any of our work. However, we do use local contractors for the service and maintenance of our office building and internal elements such as plumbing, heating, basic IT provision etc. This element of our work does help to support local businesses.
Equal opportunity
Outcome: Reduce the disability employment gap.
Response: Asckey believes that innovation and inclusion are a partnership. By employing people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities we are able to create a workspace where our people can perform at their best. We aim to provide our employees with the support, environment, and resources needed for them to achieve their potential in line with our company values.
Asckey is committed to regular, ongoing training and development of our employees to support their journey with Asckey, and with developing our products and services. This is demonstrated by the fact that part of our employee engagement involves the undertaking of formal, documented training reviews with employees every 6 months.
These reviews not only cover specific role-based training needs, but employees are also free to suggest other areas of training that can be demonstrated to benefit themselves and/or the business. Depending on the benefits in question, such training may be funded by the business.
In a software/development environment, technology is constantly evolving as are the requirements of clients. Our flexible and two-way approach to employee training and development has proven beneficial to employees and to the business as we work together to maintain and enhance our resource base.
Our working conditions promote an inclusive working environment that promotes retention and progression as demonstrated in the fact we have not had to recruit a replacement role for over two years.
Wellbeing
Outcome: Improve health and well-being.
Response: In 2020, Asckey introduced a flexible home-working policy and introduced a hybrid working environment. Asckey has some team members who work remotely full-time to accommodate where they are based, however, all employees have the option to work from home or be in the office on a day-to-day basis. This flexibility supports the mental well-being of employees as there is no pressure to come to the office should there be travel or childcare issues (for example). A flexible and hybrid working environment also supports our ambitions of reducing the team’s carbon footprint.
Asckey has a collaborative management structure. This approach enables employees to feel included in how the business develops its products and services. There is a shadowing/mentoring approach applied to the training and development of employees as we want them to feel support in their growth within the company.
Our HR/recruitment process is supported by a third party, Peninsula, which offers an Employee Assistance Programme for our employees to use. We also share any mental health campaigns with employees signposting to health and wellbeing organisations. Managers also check in with employees daily/weekly to identify any areas that Asckey can support them with, whether this is to support home life or business priorities.