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By Stuart Eatock

Social value 2023 – Giving back to our local community

In our commitment to social value, we recognise the impact of long-term value creation, education and engagement, building public trust and reputation.

Central to our philosophy is supporting the communities we serve. This approach to architecture underscores our aim to deliver not just buildings, but lasting social value that echoes through the communities we help shape.

In 2023, we delivered social value by focusing on:

Community & Volunteering

Working with charities is rooted in our ethos and each year we host events to fundraise for our charity partner, Chestnut Tree House Hospice for Children, as well as a chosen practice charity chosen by the team. In 2023, we chose the Southampton Hospital Charity in support of their G2 Unit for Neurological and High Dependency

Our fundraising will help Chestnut Tree House continue to not only care for the children but also put on events and activities for them and their families to enjoy together. Our big Charity Cricket event raised over £6,700.

Earlier in January, Finance Director Adam Staniforth and Associate Selina Walker visited the G2 Unit to present Southampton Hospital with the total amount fundraised as well as delivering the toys our team donated throughout 2023.

Education & Employment

As an architectural practice, we want to support the next generation of talent. We are proud participants in the RIBA Mentoring Programme. As part of this, we arranged local site visits and mentoring sessions with students from Brighton University and the University of Portsmouth to show them live architecture sites and provide valuable insights into the field of architecture.

We also support those who don’t quite know if architecture is for them. With our work experience programme, we invite local students to work in our Sussex and London studios and during the week, they produce drawings of their dream houses. In 2023, we had 11 students test the waters of architecture.

Training & Development

Sharing knowledge with the industry is a high priority for ECE and a way for us to ensure continuous improvement for our team and partners.

In 2023, our team gave external talks and training about Passivhaus design, reducing carbon emissions and thermal bridging to name a few topics.

We also utilised our Women In Construction Sussex initiative and visited schools to talk about the career paths for architecture, planning and construction.

What will 2024 bring?

Reflecting on our achievements in 2023, from our impactful charity work and educational outreach to our strides in training and development, we are inspired to continue this legacy of positive influence. 2024 will therefore see us continue to deliver social value through volunteering, fundraising, educating and supporting our local communities.

 

 

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