Inclusive growth

We're contributing to inclusive growth that enables communities to thrive.

Across the UK, people and communities face interconnected social and economic challenges, including unequal access to opportunity. These include barriers to good jobs, housing supply and affordability pressures, shortages in the workforce needed for the transition to a low-carbon economy, and differences in how people benefit from growth depending on where they live. 

Our purpose is to deliver lasting and shared prosperity for the nation. That means creating value in ways that respond to these challenges and ensuring the benefits of our activities are more widely shared across the places and sectors where we operate. 

We are already putting this into practice through the way we invest, procure and work with partners, using our portfolio and supply chain to create wider social and economic value. 

Our Inclusive Growth Strategy focuses on where we can make the greatest contribution: widening access to jobs, skills and progression in key sectors such as offshore wind; using our supply chain and procurement to open up opportunities for social enterprises and SMEs; creating more opportunities for meaningful community engagement and participation; designing assets and places to be inclusive, accessible and responsive to local needs; and improving access to nature so more people can benefit from the spaces we steward. 

Our impact 

£7m invested in communities 

Creating jobs, building skills and strengthening community-led services through partnerships with social enterprises and non-profits, while creating more opportunities for meaningful engagement so local priorities can shape how places are designed and delivered. 

Supporting local businesses at scale 

SMEs make up 65% of our supplier base and 28% of total spend, supporting jobs and strengthening regional economic resilience. 

Social value built into every contract 

All procurement tenders include a minimum 10% social value weighting, helping to deliver jobs, apprenticeships and community benefits. 

Delivering inclusive growth 

We focus on widening access to jobs, skills and progression through our activities in key sectors and places, recognising that economic growth does not benefit everyone equally.  

Increasing community participation 

We work with communities and stakeholders so their needs, aspirations and lived experience shape decisions, design and long-term stewardship, including through meaningful engagement on major projects such as East Hemel. 

Developing accessible and healthy places 

We design and manage places to reduce barriers, support physical and mental health, and enable more people to participate fully in social and economic life, supported by our Inclusive Design Brief and commitments to more inclusive, accessible places. 

Connecting people and nature

We work to improve access to blue and green spaces, helping more people benefit from nature while supporting places where people and nature can thrive together.