A better future for
people, places and planet
At ISS, we're committed to actions that accelerate sustainable social change. We prioritise equality of opportunity, building economic resilience, and strengthening community cohesion to help ensure everyone can thrive in the future.
SOCIAL VALUE OBJECTIVES
By embedding our social values objectives into the way we work, from how we hire talent, to how we engage with our colleagues and communities, we're driving meaningful change for our people, places and planet.
Improving equality of opportunity
Advance inclusive employment
Building proactive partnerships to give more employment opportunities to people form under-represented groups.
Create new skills
Delivering meaningful career development through training and upskilling programmes.
Champion fair pay
Engaging our customers in extending the Real Living Wage to all employees.
Zero tolerance for modern slavery
Maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery.
Create a Company of Belonging
Improving gender and ethnicity balance across our workforce.
Support good health and wellbeing
Ensuring all employees have support for their mental health and physical health.
As a global business and employer, we play a huge role in improving the lives of our people, our clients, and in helping to solve some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental issues.
Liz Benison
CEO, ISS UK & Ireland
DELIVERING SOCIAL VALUE
Creating new skills and supporting young people into work
Our apprenticeships programme is designed to promote social mobility and enable our people to become who they want to be by providing fully funded, nationally recognised qualifications. We currently have 268 live apprenticeships completing qualifications from Level 2-7 across a wide and varied course offering, from catering and facilities management to project management and finance. In November 2022, we were awarded bronze accredited membership via 'The 5% Club's' 2022-23 Employer Audit Scheme. We are actively working towards 5% of our workforce being enrolled on formalised learning programmes within 5 years. DFN Project Search is a one-year transition-to-work programme for young people with learning disabilities and autism spectrum conditions. We are proud to have supported Project Search since 2011 through support internships across our healthcare contracts, in partnership with local NHS trusts. During our 2020-21 programme, we supported 32 students to complete placements. With the skills and confidence that our teams instilled into these talented young people, 35% went on to employment in roles they were passionate about.
Partnering with clients to champion fair pay for all our people
As a responsible employer — and a founding Real Living Wage Foundation Recognised Service Provider — we recognise that our success depends on a motivated and productive workforce that is well looked after. Intrinsic to this is a fair rate of pay. We believe that all our colleagues should be able to afford a basic standard of living. In 2023, ISS made a global commitment to engage our customers in our goal to extend the living wage to all employees. In the UK, we have progressively increased the percentage of our employees paid at least the Real Living Wage + 2022 stats.
Putting the mental health and wellbeing of our teams first
We have built a wide network of more than 80 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) who are a point of contact for our people experiencing a mental health issue or who are struggling. Our MHFAs are trained to listen and offer confidential support and signpost to the appropriate help if required. in 2023, we launched a new Employee Assistance Programme in partnership with Vita Health Group. The EAP gives all employees access to online resources and support for issues that may be affecting their wellbeing, as well as free and confidential access to trained counsellors and emotional support. The platform has been designed with accessibility in mind, with various adaptations to ensure everyone can access the support they need.
OUR VALUE CHAIN
Working with more SMEs and VCSEs
Working with more local SMEs, VCSEs and minority-owned businesses reinforces our commitment to build the economic resilience of the communities we work in across the UK, and to create more opportunities for local employment.
We are continuously improving the proportion of SMEs, VCSEs and minority-owned business in our supply chain through collaboration with our customers and our sustainable procurement approach.
DRIVING INNOVATION IN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN
We're doing our part to help SMEs, VCSEs and minority-owned businesses thrive and realise their full potential.
Business mentoring
Working with more local SMEs, VCSEs and minority-owned businesses reinforces our commitment to build the economic resilience of the communities we work in across the UK, and creates more opportunities for local employment.
We are continuously improving the proportion of SMEs, VCSEs and minority-owned business in our supply chain through collaboration with our customers and our sustainable procurement approach.
Apprenticeship levy
In 2022-23, we've pledged £650k of our apprenticeship levy to support SMEs to upskill 152 employees through apprenticeships. Supporting SMEs in this way helps them deliver better outcomes for their own people and to scale their operations.
We've pledged £373,000 to 24 healthcare businesses, supporting 92 apprentices, along with £348,000 to 10 education businesses, supporting 60 apprentices.
Pledged to upskill 152 apprentices
Supporting 92 apprentices in healthcare
Supporting 60 apprentices in education
SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES
We're providing platforms and opportunities for emerging talent.
ISS partnered with the University of the Arts London (UAL) to design and produce an awards trophy that is not only beautiful, but that embodies themes of sustainability and circularity. The result is stunning. Our thanks to UAL and of course, the super-talented designer, Loki Xu.
