At the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), social value is not a standalone initiative for the Mitie team led by Sarah Butler. Zoe Maclean Social Value & ESG manager works tirelessly to ensure, it is embedded into the everyday rhythm of site operations.

Across the Aldermaston and Burghfield sites, Mitie colleagues are helping to build stronger, more connected communities alongside delivering essential services.

What begins on site quickly extends far beyond the perimeter. Through the commitment of local teams, social value activity has grown from a small number of engagements to a coordinated programme reaching schools, charities, and community organisations across the region. Partnerships with local secondary schools and colleges now provide regular careers sessions, opening pathways into employment and apprenticeships, with 10 opportunities created to date.

The impact is both practical and personal. At The Hurst School, colleagues have improved outdoor learning spaces and supported sustainability initiatives, including hands-on activities such as building bug hotels and planning future biodiversity projects. Meanwhile, community giving has been strengthened through initiatives such as foodbank donations, where 832 items, equating to 197kg were redistributed to support 462 meals for local families.

Colleagues are also contributing their time and energy in meaningful ways, with 2,762 volunteering hours delivered and a wide range of grassroots activities; from litter picks to fundraising events, helping to raise over £5,000 for charitable causes.

Together, these efforts demonstrate how empowering colleagues, building local partnerships, and focusing on long-term relationships can create measurable social value to AWE, Mitie is not only supporting national infrastructure, but helping to build more connected, sustainable and inclusive communities.

Mitie strengthened its commitment to colleague safety and wellbeing through its partnership with WalkSafe, embedding practical support for personal safety into its wider approach to creating safer working environments. This initiative recognised the risks colleagues may face beyond the workplace, particularly when travelling during dark or unsocial hours, and introduced accessible tools to help them feel safer and more supported.

WalkSafe enables colleagues to share their journey in real time, set expected arrival times and alert trusted contacts if they do not reach their destination safely. This enhances confidence and reassurance, particularly for those working shifts, travelling between sites or operating in higher-risk environments. Through enhanced capability, supported by Mitie’s monitoring infrastructure, colleagues can also access reactive support where required, strengthening response and escalation processes.

The partnership also supports a more proactive approach to safety, enabling reporting of environmental risks such as poor lighting or unsafe areas, helping to inform targeted improvements across estates and communities.

This initiative demonstrates how Mitie extends its duty of care beyond the workplace, using technology and partnerships to support safer journeys, improve wellbeing and create more connected, secure environments for its people.

Mitie partnered with Manchester City Council to deliver the ASCEND Arena, directly investing £30,000 into eight community organisations to strengthen community resilience and address local priorities across the region.

The event brought together over 70 stakeholders, including community organisations, beneficiaries, partners and colleagues, creating a collaborative platform for community-led decision-making and local insight.

Funded projects and impact

Funding was allocated to initiatives focused on employability, youth opportunity, literacy, wellbeing, recovery support, inclusive sport and community safety. Beneficiaries included The Proud Trust, Barlow Moor Community Association, Business Working with Wythenshawe (BW3), Groundwork Greater Manchester, Empower Youth Zones via Snow Camp, The River Manchester, Walking Mum’s Club and Dominoes Junior Netball Club, each delivering targeted interventions aligned to local need.

The event also recognised 22 frontline officers through the ASCEND Awards, with £4,000 awarded across categories including safety, innovation and inclusion, celebrating everyday contributions to stronger communities.

Community-led delivery

ASCEND Arena was designed to put communities at the centre of decision-making, ensuring funding reflected lived experience and local priorities rather than top-down assumptions. By connecting frontline insight with targeted investment, the initiative demonstrated how social value can be delivered through trusted relationships, local knowledge and empowered colleagues.

It also created ongoing opportunities for skilled volunteering, partnership development and operational support, extending the impact beyond initial funding and strengthening long-term community resilience.