With Duncan Gardner, Senior Social Impact Manager at Balfour Beatty

“In the evolving landscape of infrastructure and community development, social enterprises have emerged as powerful partners in delivering meaningful change. At Balfour Beatty, our commitment to social impact is not just a strategic priority; it’s a lived reality, embedded in our projects, partnerships, and procurement practices. Over the past year, we’ve deepened our engagement with social enterprises across the UK, particularly in Scotland, where our place-based model has enabled tailored, localised impact.

“One of our most impactful collaborations has been with Highland Blindcraft, a social enterprise based in Inverness that has been combining craftsmanship with purpose for over 140 years. As part of the Skye 132kV Reinforcement Project, our Power Transmission and Distribution team procured 85 high-quality, handcrafted mattresses for the Glen Mor workers’ village. This £20,000-plus contract not only supported local manufacturing but also created a new role at Highland Blindcraft, part-funded by the Highland Council’s HERO scheme. The partnership, developed over two years through engagement with the BASE Scotland network, exemplifies how procurement can drive inclusive employment and community resilience. With a potential follow-on order of over 300 mattresses, the impact could be even more significant.

“At the Dunfermline Learning Campus, our collaboration with Giraffe Café, a social enterprise catering partner, has brought social value directly into the heart of our site operations. Giraffe provides daily catering services to our workforce, and their presence reflects our commitment to wellbeing, inclusion, and community investment. During a recent year-end reflection event, the team gathered to celebrate project milestones and enjoy a hot breakfast roll, funded by site and provided by Giraffe.

This initiative not only boosted morale but also demonstrated how thoughtful procurement decisions can enhance staff experience and embed social impact into everyday operations.

The inclusive site compound, designed with wellbeing at its core, reinforces our belief that a valued workforce is a productive and safe one.

“In Edinburgh, our work at Liberton High School has been a beacon of community engagement. Collaborating with Edible Estates, a local social enterprise, we co-created a memorial garden that now serves as a source of pride for students and families alike. The garden was designed and delivered with input from the school and community, demonstrating how social enterprise partnerships can foster ownership and sustainability. Beyond the garden, our team has delivered career talks, site tours, and competitions that have inspired hundreds of students to explore careers in construction and sustainability.

“Our engagement with Invisible Cities, a social enterprise that trains people who have experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides, has added a deeply human dimension to our North Bridge Refurbishment Project. Their bespoke tour, developed in collaboration with the City of Edinburgh Council, offers a unique perspective on the city’s history and the lived experiences of its residents. It’s a reminder that infrastructure is not just about steel and stone: it’s about stories, resilience, and connection.

“In addition to these specific actions to engage social enterprises, we are consistently looking for ways to diversify our supply chain through other avenues to make socially impactful procurement ‘business as usual’. Whether getting our laptop bags from ‘Madlug’, our period products from ‘Hey Girls’, or our signage from ‘Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company’, we are constantly seeking ways to deliver ‘procurement with purpose’ to support our local communities to thrive.

“These successes are underpinned by our strategic commitment to social enterprise engagement. We’ve expanded our supply chain to include a broader spectrum of social enterprises, providing them with opportunities to grow and thrive.

Our procurement and commercial teams work hand in hand with our Social Impact team to ensure that social enterprises are not just included but actively supported.

We’ve signed Social Enterprise Scotland’s ‘Buy Social Pledge’ and become the first corporate member of SES and champion this initiative in Scotland.

“Of course, this journey hasn’t been without its challenges. One of the most persistent barriers has been the readiness of social enterprises to meet the demands of large-scale infrastructure projects. Many lack the capacity or experience to navigate complex procurement processes. To address this, we’ve invested in mentoring and capacity-building, offering workshops, guidance, and direct support to help social enterprises become supply chain-ready, including through our engagement as the first corporate member of the Supplier Development Programme. Our message is clear – we want to be approachable partners, support SEs to become valued suppliers and encourage them to come and speak to us if they think they need some help to do so.

“Another challenge has been internal – ensuring that our teams understand the value of working with social enterprises and are equipped to do so. We’ve tackled this through training, storytelling, and showcasing impact.

By sharing real-world examples and celebrating successes, we’ve fostered a culture that sees social enterprise engagement not as a box-ticking exercise but as a source of pride and purpose.

“Looking ahead, our vision is clear: to continue building better futures through meaningful partnerships with social enterprises. Whether it’s through procurement, volunteering, or co-creation, we believe that social enterprises are essential allies in delivering sustainable, inclusive growth.”