Are businesses working hard enough to reinforce social values? ANTZ, a leading social impact organisation in Manchester, believes more work can be done, launching the first ever social impact learning accreditation to help business leaders understand and respond to the importance of social values at work. The qualification and support offered is setting a new standard for businesses, leaving a legacy within the commercial sector that will help companies build long lasting foundations.
The Scheme
The training aims to drive employee engagement, requiring individuals to gain a clear understanding of social impact and what it means. Building on this, the tasks set require both employees and employers to understand how to report on work processes and their impact. Leading to the final step of building a social strategy aligned with the company’s business plan. The accreditation will also help businesses bring clarity to what social impact is, keeping it simple and provide a straightforward methodology to drive engagement with social impact internally and externally.
“It doesn’t mean delivering something you think is needed, such as numerous soup kitchens because the media or a Local Authority mentioned homelessness in its region!”
Jen Pemberton, CEO at ANTZ, speaking on the importance of companies understanding workplace social values.
Commenting on the new accreditation, Jen Pemberton, CEO at ANTZ, says: “It is now crucial that businesses fully understands what ‘social value’ actually means and looks like. It doesn’t mean delivering something you think is needed, such as numerous soup kitchens because the media or a Local Authority mentioned homelessness in its region! It is imperative for companies to understand the specific social issues within a particular area and work closely with communities by giving them a seat around the table.”
The importance of social values in the workplace
Importantly, leaders of the social values scheme believe the accreditation will also help businesses bring clarity to what social impact is. Showing their support of the new accreditation training after completing it, Faruk Patel from Saraco Industries, a UK based manufacturer of disposable wet wipe products, added: “ANTZ’ social value training demonstrated how we as a business can align our social strategy with our commercial strategy to maximise impact both in our potential partner communities, but also commercially. The social value training is very clear and it was great to engage with a variety of different organisations at varying stages of their social value journey.”
Who are ANTZ?
Established in 2008, ANTZ work with SMEs, local authorities and government departments, regional construction frameworks, and brands help to grow an understanding of what social value is, how it is best delivered, and importantly, how it is measured. ANTZ, has been recognised for its ability to support businesses bring about positive change in the communities in which they operate, via a national award win with its partner Atos – the Institute of Collaborative Working’s Award for Social Impact Working with the Third Sector.
