Social Value Plan 2022 – 2024
In October 2022 National Highways published their Social Value Plan 2022-2024. You can view this strategy document here. This brings together their Social Value Framework and Enabling Action Areas.
Supply Chain Opportunities – Meet The Buyer events:
We run an annual Meet the Buyers event to promote opportunities across our Regional Investment Programme (in particular the network improvement schemes being delivered by our Regional Delivery Partnership).
Our latest event was held on 18th August 2022. You can see the presentations and information from the event here.
See the presentations and opportunities from last year’s event (held in August 2021) here.
National Highways is the government company charged with operating, maintaining and improving England’s motorways and major A roads. Our road network totals around 4,300 miles – carrying a third of all traffic by mileage and two thirds of all heavy goods traffic.
We work to provide free-flowing, safe, serviceable, accessible, and integrated roads. Our network helps drive economic growth across the country, creating jobs, supporting businesses, and opening areas for development.
As a responsible road operator, we recognise that, while roads are essential for society and the economy, their use does present environmental challenges. So, we will avoid or reduce adverse environmental impacts wherever possible.
By 2025, we are committed to cutting our carbon footprint, and to achieving no net loss of biodiversity across all our activities. As one of England’s largest landowners, we are proud of the work we do to look after the wildlife that lives alongside our network, and to protect and improve the environment for future generations. We will also support government’s drive to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050.
Supplier Development System – Creating a Sustainable Supply Chain
The Supply Chain School and National Highways have worked with prime contractor supplier partners to develop a Supplier Development System (SDS), available to all our existing and potential suppliers.
This consists of a Self Assessment and linked Action Plan to drive individual / organisation learning.
It is not linked to any commercial or procurement process. Its sole intention is to help develop an understanding of National Highways priorities and how the supply chain can align to those.
Topics included in the Supplier Development System are:
- Health, Safety & Wellbeing
- Leadership & collaboration
- Efficiency & effectiveness
- Supply chain
- Net zero carbon & sustainability
- Social value
Suppliers complete a self-assessment then receive an action plan to help build more sustainability knowledge.
Learning Pathways
National Highways Learning Pathways, providing a linked series of curated learning resources for our supply chain, are available to any individual School member to self-enrol:
- Click here for the Sustainability and Net Zero pathway (this gives a perfect introduction to National Highways’ approach to sustainability and net zero)
- Click here for the Core 1 pathway
- Click here for the Core 2 pathway.
- Click here for the Supplier Development System pathway (company level)
- Click here for the Customer Experience pathway
- Click here for the FIR pathway
- Click here for the Social Value 1 pathway
- Click here for the Social Value 2 pathway
Strategic Procurement Strategies
Our Strategic Procurement Strategies are tailored to key challenges in their respective categories. The Strategic Procurement Strategies address & implement solutions for all key challenges and focus on our imperatives ensuring our categories are aligned to deliver them & our SPD objectives.
Please see below links to the Strategic Procurement Strategies. Please note that these strategies are often updated, so please always refer to the versions hosted on this site rather than download them.
Understanding our Work Programmes and Major Projects
Regional Delivery Partnership (RDP)
The Regional Deliver Partnership (RDP) initiative is providing targeted training and sustainability knowledge to the RDP supply chains across England; working closely with several Delivery Integration Partners (DIPs).
The sustainability support programme for RDP is being actively supported by the following Delivery Integration Partners (DIPs): Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Costain, Galliford Try, Graham, Kier, Osborne, Skanska, VINCI and Volkerfitzpatrick.
A programme of workshops and supplier webinars for the RDP supply chain cover a full range of sustainability issues – for example Carbon, Waste, FIR, Social Value, Wellbeing, Modern Slavery, Offsite, Lean Construction. These events will be promoted on the School Events page.
Performance, outcomes and impact will be measured using an innovative Sustainability Tool. A bespoke version of this Tool will be available to all companies involved in any RDP scheme across England.
Access resources and recordings of training sessions offered so far below:
- RDP’s Launch Event on 29th January 21. Click here
- RDP’s Sustainability Tool Training for DIPs on 15th Feb 21. Click here
- RDP’s Sustainability Tool Training for Suppliers on 1st March 21. Click here
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Introduction to Climate Change and Carbon’, 23rd Feb 21. Click here
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Collaborative working’,17th Mar 21. Click here
- RDP’s webinar on ‘Creating Social Value within the Highways Industry’, 20th Apr 21. Click here to see the video- recording. Click here to view the slides
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Wellbeing’, 28th Apr 21. Click here
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Offsite’ on 19th May 21. Please, click here to view the mural board
- RDP’s workshop on ‘The Business case for FIR’ on 10thJune 21. Please, click here to access the slides
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Lean Construction’ on 16thJune 21. Please, click here to view the material
- RDP’s webinar on ‘Reducing Carbon in the Highways Industry’ on 8th July 21. Please, click here to access the video recording. You can also view the material here
- Highways England Regional Delivery Partnership – National Meet the Buyers Event, 11 August 2021
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Introduction to Modern Slavery’ on 8th September 21. Click here
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Social Value’ on 29th September 21. Click here
- RDP’s webinar on ‘Offsite Construction for Highways’ on 18th October 21. Please, click here to view the slides on Modern Methods of Construction, and here to view the material on Lean Construction
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Waste & Resource Efficiency’ on 11th November 21. Click here
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Sustainable Procurement’ on 24th November 21. Click here
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Business Ethics’ on 8th December 21. Click here
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Becoming a Digital Leader’ on 25th January 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Collaborative Working’ on 16th February 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Managing and Measuring Carbon’ on 15th March 22. Click here.
- RDP’s webinar on ‘Creating Social Values in Highway Projects’ on 23rd March 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Net Zero and Carbon Reporting’ on 13th April. Click here and here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Offsite Fundementals’ on 19th May 22. Click here
- RDP’s webinar on ‘Low Carbon Technologies and Innovation’ on 16th June 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Wellbeing’ on 28th June 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Introduction to Modern Slavery’ on 18th July 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Waste and Resource Efficiency’ on 8th August 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Biodiversity’ on 28th September 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Social Value’ on 10th October 22. Click here.
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Net Zero Science Based Targets and Carbon Offsetting’ on 6th December 22. Click here.
For upcoming RDP training workshops and webinars, please see our training page.
Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF)
The National Highways Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF), announced in 2021, brings together 50 supply chain partners to carry out up to £3.6 billion worth of renewals to keep England’s motorways and major A roads running safely and smoothly over a 6 year period.
The Supply Chain School is supporting the SDF suppliers and sub-contractors with training workshops to increase understanding, skills and performance on several key sustainability issues.
Access resources and recordings of 2022 training sessions offered so far below:
- SDF Collaborative Working workshop Miro Board from 19th January 2022. Click here.
- SDF Sustainable Procurement workshop slides from 22nd February 2022. Click here.
- SDF Social Value workshop slides from 30th March 2022. Click here.
- SDF Waste and Resource Efficiency workshop slides from 6th April 2022. Click here.
- SDF Business Ethics workshop slides from 5th May 2022. Click here.
- SDF Designing out Carbon workshop slides from 23rd June 2022. Click here.
- SDF Biodiversity workshop slides from 7th September 2022. Click here.
- SDF Lean Construction workshop Miro Board from 13th September 2022. Click here.
- SDF Modern Slavery workshop slides from 13th October 2022. Click here.
- SDF Wellbeing workshop slides from 23rd November 2022. Click here.
- SDF FIR training workshop slides from 8th December 2022. Click here.
For 2022 SDF training workshops and webinars, please see our training page. (please note: workshop places are limited to companies directly involved with delivering the SDF)
Smart Motorways Programme Alliance (SMP Alliance)
The Smart Motorways Alliance brings together Fluor, WSP, Jacobs Engineering, Costain, Balfour Beatty, and Bam Nuttall/Morgan Sindall Joint Venture to design and deliver a smart motorway programme over a 10 year period.
The framework will enable the industry to put greater emphasis on standardised design, transform productivity and decrease overall costs.
The Supply Chain School is supporting the Alliance and its suppliers / sub-contractors with training workshops and webinars to increase understanding, skills and performance on several key sustainability issues.
Access resources and recordings of 2022 training sessions offered so far below:
- SMP Launch Event slides from 24th January 2022. Click here.
- SMP Collaborative Working workshop Miro Board from 26th January 2022. Click here.
- SMP Offsite for Highways webinar slides from 18th February 2022. Click here.
- SMP Leading Change workshop Miro Board from 16th March 2022. Click here.
- SMP Designing out Carbon workshop slides from 7th April 2022. Click here.
- SMP Offsite fundamentals workshop slides from 22nd April 2022. Click here.
- SMP Waste and Resource Efficiency workshop slides from 29th June 2022. Click here.
- SMP Sustainable Procurement workshop slides from 29th July 2022. Click here.
- SMP Innovation workshop Miro Board from 24th August 2022. Click here.
- SMP Digital Skills workshop slides from 18th September 2022. Click here.
- SMP Wellbeing workshop slides from 2nd December 2022. Click here.
For 2022 SMP training workshops and webinars, please see our training page. (please note: workshop places are limited to companies directly involved with delivering the SMA)
Lower Thames Crossing (LTC)
The Lower Thames Crossing is the most ambitious road scheme since the M25, linking Kent, Thurrock and Essex and will consist of:
- Approximately 14.5 miles (23km) of new roads connecting the tunnel to the existing road network
- Connection between the A2/M2, A13 and M25
- New structures and changes to existing ones (including bridges, buildings, tunnel entrances, viaducts and utilities such as electricity pylons) along the length of the new road
- Two 2.5-mile (4km) tunnels, one for southbound traffic, one for northbound traffic crossing beneath the river
- A free-flow charging system, where drivers do not need to stop but pay remotely, similar to that at the Dartford Crossing
All companies and individuals interested in the Lower Thames Crossing project are encouraged to learn more about the National Highways approach to sustainability and net zero. These are clearly presented in the National Highways Sustainability E-learning Module.
Suppliers and sub-contractors can access resources and recordings of 2022 training sessions offered so far below:
- LTC Introduction to Modern Slavery workshop slides from 17th February 2022. Click here.
- LTC Business Case for FIR workshop slides from 17th March 2022. Click here.
- LTC Collaborative Working Miro Board from- 24th May 2022. Click here.
- LTC Digital Skills workshop slides from 14th June 2022. Click here.
- LTC Modern Slavery workshop slides from 29th June 2022. Click here.
- LTC FIR Training workshop slides from 14th July 2022. Click here.
- LTC Circular Economy & Desiging out Waste workshop slides from 9th August 2022. Click here.
- LTC Wellbeing workshop slides from 21st September 2022. Click here.
- LTC Climate Change and Designing out Carbon workshop slides from 18th October 2022. Click here.
- LTC Biodiversity workshop slides from 2nd November 2022. Click here.
- LTC Social Value workshop from 2nd December 2022. Click here.
Health, Safety and Wellbeing
The National Highways Supply Chain Safety Leadership Group was formed to give focus to improving safety performance across the National Highways road network through collaborative working across the supply chain where common risks exist and provide a unified voice of the sector.
The Supply Chain Safety Leadership Group’s vision is to create a very clear shift in safety performance to ensure everyone who works with us and everyone who travels on the network gets home safe and well.
The Group includes representatives from suppliers and provides safety leadership and clear strategic direction to the supplier community, overseeing the development and adoption of health, safety and wellbeing improvement activities throughout the National Highways supply chain. To find out more please visit this page
National Highways’ “Home Safe and Well” Strategy can be viewed here
Home safe and well is our approach to health, safety and wellbeing. Our vision that ‘no-one should be harmed when travelling or working on the strategic road network’ is summed up in this simple phrase; we all want and need, to get home every day to the people we love and for the things that we love doing. Our approach is inclusive and aimed at customers, employees and our supply chain. Suicide prevention is a key part of this approach.
We are committed to working with strategic partners leading the industry’s approach to suicide prevention. We are working to halve the number of suicides on our roads by 2025 and achieve our longer term aim to have a network where no one will attempt to take their life on it.
Our Suicide prevention strategy explains how we will do this. It also explains how we will continue to contribute to delivering the Government’s national strategy for suicide prevention Preventing suicide in England: A cross-government outcomes strategy.
View our Suicide Prevention Strategy here.
Information is also available on how to sign up for the National Highways Passport. This is a scheme to demonstrate you have the training, experience and qualifications to work safely on any National Highways site Read More
As well as covering the issue of Wellbeing in depth, the Supply Chain School has a selection of resources on the subject of Health and Safety.
- Health and Safety Executive – Working Time Regulations Take a Look
- Behavioural Safety with CECA Get Started
- Costain / Highways England Case Study: Improving the Safety of Roadside Engineers Read Now
- The Safe Use of Vehicles on Construction Sites Take a Look
- Standardised Approach To Preventing Temporary Traffic Management Incursions Read Now – Balfour Beatty, in collaboration with the Highways Delivery Community, have created this guide. The scope of this document was to develop and share best practice on incursions and set a uniform, standard approach for highways projects to reduce the risk of incursions into work areas and establish a standard Safe System of Work.
More about our approach to Health, Safety and Wellbeing is available here.
Customer Service
At National Highways our customers are the people who use, or are affected by, our roads and services. We all have a part to play in delivering great customer service and improving our customers’ experiences.
Our vision is that our customers will have increasing satisfaction with their journeys. They will know that we care about their experience and consider us to be a responsible and trusted organisation.
We have set up a specific learning pathway focussing on key customer service topics for National Highways and our wider supply chain. This is available from your personal School account dashboard, and contains the following resources / e-learning modules:
Social Value
At National Highways, our work to connect the country goes beyond operating, maintaining and improving the Strategic Road Network.
What we do, and how we do it includes creating opportunities for individuals and communities and positive change for the environment through social value. We define social value as:
“The benefits that National Highways and its supply chain delivers for people, environment and the economy.”
Aligning with government guidance and the ‘levelling up agenda’, we are working in partnership with our suppliers to develop a wider-reaching, consistent approach to social value delivery and reporting.
Through this collaborative approach we will:
- Create the greatest amount of social, environmental and economic benefit to communities through every pound of investment.
- Stimulate innovation within project delivery and business models to optimise the impact that social value / community benefits offer.
- Provide a metrics tool which allows for fair comparison of commitments and positive outcomes of delivering social value.
- Monitor and evaluate benefits delivered across our supply chain and share best practise models for future work.
- Create a centre of excellence to evolve our approach to social value alongside our supply chain and those operating in the wider construction industry.
- Leave a positive legacy for our customers, the wider community and everyone working for National Highways and as part of our supply chain.
Introducing the Social Value Tool
After our initial work to measure broader environmental and social impact through a Sustainability Tool, we have now developed a new SOCIAL VALUE TOOL which will collate, quantify and evidence the social value outcomes of investment in England’s Strategic Road Network – in real-time and at project level. This tool will form part of National Highways overall social value strategy, to be announced in second half of 2022.
All companies involved in the National Highways supply chain are requested to use this Tool to submit regular data on metrics covering issues such as employment, equality and community engagement.
The Tool url is https://nationalhighwayssocialvalue.sustainabilitytool.com/ and quarterly reporting with this new Tool begins in July 2022.
The Tool will be used initially across the Regional Delivery Partnership then adopted by other National Highways frameworks / major projects from mid-2022 onwards
Training and onboarding sessions are being provided to RDP Delivery Integration Partners to ensure their supply chains can support this important initiative.
More information on the Social Value Tool is available from Andrew Wilson and Briony Laidler [email protected] [email protected]
Learning Pathways for Social Value
We have created 2x Social Value learning pathways for our suppliers to complete. You can enrol in Pathway 1 here and Pathway 2 here.
Access resources and recordings of social value based training sessions offered so far below:
- RDP’s webinar on ‘Creating Social Value within the Highways Industry’, 20th Apr 21. Click here to see the video- recording. Click here to view the slides
- RDP’s workshop on ‘Social Value’ on 29th September 21. Click here
- RDP’s webinar on ‘Creating Social Values in Highway Projects’, 23rd March 22. Click here to watch the recording. Click here to view the slides.
- SDF’s workshop on ‘Social Value’, 30th March 2022. Click here to view the recording. Click here to view the slides.
Commercial Mobilisation
We are changing the way we commercially mobilise our projects from a traditional single source supply chain focus to a joined up integrated project team approach. This will encourage a greater level of integration between separate organisations, share best practice, provide a more robust mobilisation phase, as well as the embedment of key behaviours on our projects. This learning module will introduce commercial behaviours that are expected and required through improved engagement, these are developed from the Improving Behaviours, Improving Performance (IBIP) principles. The focus is on how to prepare and implement 13 commercial essentials that drive project success from the start.
Lean Construction
Lean is a systematic method for the elimination of inefficiency. National Highways has developed a Lean Toolkit to support our contractors and their supply chain companies.
This Toolkit is available on our Lean SharePoint page. Companies can access this through the following links and requesting to be added to this SharePoint:
- Request access to our Lean Toolkit (and the rest of the Lean SharePoint Site)
- Request access to our Lean SharePoint Site
National Highways will then accept any requests.
For enquiries on the National Highways Lean Toolkit: Chloe Chen, Lean Practitioner – National Highways