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The Wales Responsible Company of the Year Award is sponsored by the Welsh Government

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Wates Group - Responsible Company of the Year Award - Winner

Wates’ 2010 performance demonstrates that we have the right strategy and excellence in delivery to succeed in exceptionally difficult trading conditions.

Darren EcclestonFramework Manager, Wates Group

In a challenging market where construction services were in decline, Wates have increased their turnover by 34% and their profitability by 19% at the same time employing talented people displaced in the marketplace.

Wates Living Space is a family owned construction company with a growing presence in Wales, working with social partners to refurbish and build affordable, comfortable and modern homes.

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Introduction

Over the last decade, strong growth and an excellent delivery record have helped establish Wates as one of the leading contractors in their sector, delivering 20,000 homes across the UK each year and pioneering best practise throughout their industry.

As well as improving the homes in which people live, Wates are committed to improving the communities they work in too. They provide homes which will be kind to the environment, and create opportunities for employment and suppliers to support the Welsh economy.

Wates achieved Platinum Status in the Business in the Community CSR Index in 2010, the first company to achieve this in the Construction and Building Services Sector.

Three mainstream programmes align Wates' CR programme, 'Reshaping Tomorrow'. They include:

boosting skills and employability
minimising waste
reducing the carbon footprint of activities and operations.

Environment

Wates have targeted a 34% reduction in C02 emissions by 2015 against a baseline of 2008. They have worked closely with Carbon Trust and CAMCO to develop a 10 year Low Carbon Plan for Wales and were commissioned by the Welsh Government to co-author the report ‘The Necessary Transition’ which makes the case for Wales to set ‘Low Carbon Zones’ to encourage retrofitting of energy saving technologies within Wales. In a bid to reduce staff travel, they launched a car allowance scheme which incentivises employees for procuring low carbon emission vehicles.

On site, Wates launched an energy efficient Eco-Cabin, but they have also focused on reducing Waste. One of the first construction companies to sign up to Halving Waste to Landfill commitment. All preferred waste suppliers are signatories of the Halving Waste to Landfill commitment. Continue to make exceptional progress for diverting waste from landfill. Aviva Training appointed to deliver Environmental and Waste Training across the business and to our supply chain.

Marketplace

In 2009 Wates invested £5.7m in innovation and change. They are moving away from a traditional contractor role, by innovating and developing products directly for customers. Wates Living Space bid for and won 9 Technology Strategy Board grants to develop ways of economically achieving low carbon on existing residential buildings. One of their current research projects is with Bangor University on insulation.

Wates are also the first UK company to use innovative risk management insurance – Subguard. Widely used in the US, Wates is piloting its use in the UK to give customers and the supply chain greater protection and security in response to challenging market conditions

Workplace

Wates' Building Futures programme launched in 2005, delivers opportunities within the Construction industry to the otherwise long-term unemployed, particularly in the communities in which we work that are most need of support.

Respect for equality and diversity is also high on the our agenda and Wates provide opportunities for people from under-represented groups to gain employment.

Community

As a company, 'Wates Giving' embeds philanthropy and volunteering into the fabric of the company. Every year, Wates employees take a day out from their everyday roles to help local communities in which they work. In 2009 and 2010 several projects benefited from intervention in Wales including Chirk Court Residential Home, Wrexham, Holybush Community Centre in Whitchurch, Cardiff.

Impact

Over 25% of sites will achieve zero waste to landfill this year
Over 100 projects delivered to BREEAM “Very Good” or above
Achieved 3% year on year reduction in our employee travel
Increased turnover by 34% and profitability by 19%

5% of our employees are promoted annually
20% female workforce in comparison to a 13% industry average
65 trainee managers participated in 'Step Change' programme and employed 35 new apprentices
7,000 training days delivered

Actively engaged eight suppliers to achieve ISO14001, saving each £4k in efficiency savings
Significant investment in R&D projects with Welsh Universities

Employees volunteered a total of 12,765 hours across a total of 94 community projects, this made a visible difference at a local level across Wales
'Building Futures' on course to reach its target of 500 participants by 2012

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