Positive social impact: how do we do it? Through wellbeing, upskilling, equality, inclusion, environment, and charity (to name a few). It was key on our agenda for 2023 with the employment of our Resourcing and Social Values Partner.

And our commitment to social values is carrying us into 2024, as we begin the year by joining the Social Recruitment Advocacy Group (SRAG).

In 2023 we kicked off the year with the creation of our ‘Social Value’ role, and employment of Maria Green (read more about her journey here).

This role was created to actively contribute to the betterment of society, by aligning our mission with a commitment to creating positive social impact.

Our Positive Social Impact

Part of our mission includes partnering with training providers to deliver our SWAPs (Sector Workplace Academy Programmes). Access to this programme is given to job seekers who have found their job search challenging, these barriers could include inexperience, anxiety, or lack of confidence, to name a few.

This programme delivers a Level 1 qualification in Waste & Recycling, enriched with onsite work experience which leads to job offers. Through this scheme we have supported 20 learners to date, one of which is Corey. Watch Corey’s experience here.

The success of this programme has allowed us to integrate it with more of our clients across the UK, and we are also rolling this out to the wider business.

To coincide with the expansion of our workplace academies and to further enhance our commitment to social value initiatives, we have joined the Social Recruitment Advocacy Group.

What is the Social Recruitment Advocacy Group (SRAG)?

The SRAG is a collective formed to accelerate the creation of social value through the adoption of socially responsible recruitment practices.

The SRAG, aligns with our initiatives and programmes, and works as a collective to create resources and enable employment of those who may otherwise struggle to gain or sustain employment.

On joining the SRAG, our Resourcing and Social Values Partner said, “We are excited to roll out new initiatives for 2024, and joining SRAG is the perfect complement to what we want to achieve as a business.”

Emma Grison, Director, Social Value Solutions at PeoplePlus, said, “We are delighted that Smart Solutions has committed to Social Recruitment Advocacy Group membership. They are doing great work to support people who struggle to enter the labour market, demonstrated by the positive impact on people already employed by them.

We have a packed programme for 2024 and we are looking forward to having Smart Solutions join our amazing network.” Read more about the SRAG’s view here.

What Does This Mean for Our Future?

By joining the SRAG we can align our values and goals with their experience.

The SRAG will be able to help our business stay updated on industry best practices, allow for us to be involved in key events, and help illustrate our dedication to social values in business.

Our vision as a business is to be a leader in Social Values, and the SRAG will help us get there.

Our goal is to inspire others to commit to change, contribute to long-term sustainability, and create positive relationships with customers, employees, and the community.

Our social value strategy is something that we are investing heavily in to ensure that we are an accessible agency working in the interest of people and planet.

If you want to find out more about our work, or how our work can help your business, contact us today.