Our commitment to help create opportunities for those facing barriers to employment is exemplified through Willmott Dixon's partnership with We Are Footprint, a leading social enterprise in the UK construction sector.
We Are Footprint operate as a traditional employment agency, but with a distinct social value purpose. They reinvest 51% of their net profits into community-focused initiatives such as training, mentorship, and employment support for disadvantaged groups, including individuals experiencing homelessness, care-experienced people, and those not in employment, education, or training (NEETs).
In the past year, we have invested over £1 million in We Are Footprint’s services, leading to nearly 160 hours of career guidance and 120 hours of mentorship across the North West. These efforts included employment workshops, career sessions for school students, and interview preparation for care experienced people. This builds on the £1.2 million Willmott Dixon invested with We Are Footprint in 2023, which helped create 51 jobs and supported 18 employment and social value workshops across local communities.
Together with We Are Footprint, we have created meaningful job opportunities for individuals facing barriers to employment, like Jack Wilson (left) and Sean McGuire (right), who re-entered the workforce at Willmott Dixon’s Spindles shopping centre project through a partnership with Get Oldham Working.
Both individuals have excelled on-site, with Jack’s infectious energy leading to ongoing training and support and Sean’s reputation as “Mr Reliable” on site seeing him enrolled on Traffic Banksman and SSSTS courses.
Pippa Holland, Social Value Director with We Are Footprint, said: “We offer the same quality service of temporary labour that we have always done, but three years ago we decided to do the right thing and add the value of helping individuals with barriers re-enter the workforce through support, re-education, engaging and developing their careers forward from long term unemployment. To work with a business such as Wilmott Dixon where social value is at its core is truly amazing.”
By choosing to work with social enterprises like We Are Footprint to create opportunities around our projects, we can enhance the life chances of individuals furthest from the workforce.
