Cormac, a leading civil engineering, highway, and environmental services provider, has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to delivering value for its communities by delivering an impressive £60 million in social, economic, and environmental impact over the last 12 months.
Under the leadership of Managing Director Dominic Bostock, Cormac’s initiatives have encompassed diverse areas, including facilitated volunteering, carbon reduction, workplace wellness, donations to community projects, and support for local businesses.
He commented: “It is essential that our actions contribute to the wellbeing of the communities where we operate and our employees. To add value to our communities, it’s important we innovate, make responsible business decisions and strive to surpass our obligations. For every £1 of revenue, we contributed 41 pence in 2023/24, positively influencing our people, planet, and partners.
“Over the past two years, using the National TOM System™ (Themes, Outcomes, Measures), we have generated £98 million in social value. We rely on Social Value Portal to assess and validate our impact; and ensure transparency and third-party validation of our data, safeguarding us against claims of greenwashing or social washing. Our greatest challenge in measuring our impact is capturing all the contributions made by our employees, who add value every day.”
Guy Battle, CEO of Social Value Portal remarked. “Cormac’s contribution of £60 million in Social Value over the past year is truly impressive – but what’s even more significant is the real impact behind the numbers. Thousands of weeks of training, over £30 million spent locally, and hundreds of tonnes of CO2 saved. These are just some of the tangible examples of how Cormac is creating lasting value for both communities and the planet.
“Having worked closely with Cormac to measure and validate their impact, we’re proud to be part of their ongoing journey towards building a better future.”
Economic impact
Cormac has demonstrated its dedication to developing a skilled workforce by investing over £1 million in training and development, delivering 2,244 weeks of training and welcoming 14 new apprentices.
The company offers eight industry-accredited apprenticeship programs across different specialisms, from degree level to their academy programme, and currently has 39 apprentices working across the business. By fostering a permanent, highly skilled, and fully trained workforce, Cormac contributes to broader social outcomes in terms of living standards, creating more local employment and a thriving local economy.
Cormac’s commitment to developing its apprentices is paying off. Arron Pengelly won the Highways and Winter Maintenance Apprentice of the Year Award at the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards in Glasgow earlier in the year.
Furthermore, their work with local suppliers has generated £30 million in local economic value, ensuring money stays in the local economy, supporting job creation, and helping to stimulate economic growth. It also aligns with their business sustainability goals by reducing transportation-related emissions.
Social impact
The company’s community partnership officers facilitated more than 34,000 hours of community volunteering, focusing on improving biodiversity and creating space for nature. This resulted in transformative effects on local areas and enhanced social interaction and wellbeing for those involved. They currently work with more than 170 groups, and their numbers are growing year on year.
Over the past year, 42 employees have obtained the nationally recognised Mental Health First Aid qualification, nearly doubling the number of certified individuals in the business. Cormac’s investment in mental health has cultivated an open, empathetic workplace culture that values and supports employees. It also equips employees to provide help to individuals in local communities.
They also delivered over £15,000 in valuable charitable donations to many deserving causes throughout Cornwall.
Environmental impact
Cormac has also prioritised its environmental impact by transforming waste from construction and highway maintenance activities into quality, affordable materials. This reduces demand for the extraction, processing, and transportation of new aggregate products, contributing to carbon reduction targets and promoting sustainability. Last year, they recycled 62,900 tonnes of construction waste (equivalent to 6 Eiffel Towers in weight), representing 570 tonnes of CO2e savings.
The company’s innovative project to recycle Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has also yielded significant results, with 0.84 tonnes of PPE successfully recycled. Resulting in a further 2.8 tonnes of CO2e savings in 2023/24.
They review their purchasing decisions and identify products that can be replaced with PPE from their waste, delivering unique circular economy opportunities.
As part of the PPE initiative, they made high-visibility wrist lanyards and keychains for schoolchildren. The safety key chains have been given out at events across Cornwall, including Junior Life Skills events, encouraging children to be more visible when walking to school instead of being driven and reducing traffic congestion around school premises.
Employees’ involvement in volunteering for environmental conservation has also had a positive social impact, raising awareness about environmental issues and inspiring others to take action to create a more sustainable future.
