On Thursday 18th November 2021, RSS Infrastructure Ltd (RSSI), alongside INFRA Skills Ltd (IFS), were awarded the Social Value for Future Generations ‘Pioneering Equality’ Award at the Social Value Portal 2021 Award Ceremony.
The National Social Value Measurement Framework (or National TOMs for short) – is a method of reporting and measuring social value to a consistent standard. It provides the golden thread between an organisation’s overarching strategy and vision, to the delivery of that vision. The Framework was developed by Social Value Portal and launched in 2017, and is reviewed and endorsed by the National Social Value Taskforce.
As part of the award submission process, the company provided evidence that demonstrated how it is driving excellence and innovation in the award category area, by detailing the companies approach to safety, sustainability and community engagement, as well as detailing successful partnerships. Through the ‘Journey Into Rail’ proposal, RSS Infrastructure was initially shortlisted, and subsequently won for it’s sustainable recruitment initiatives designed to support the Welsh Government through the application of the National TOMs Framework.
The fully-funded 4-week course supports local wales-based communities by developing skills and employment through Local Enterprise Partnerships. RSSI utilised funding streams attained through the ‘Adult Education Budget’, ‘Black Country Impact’ and ‘Department for Work and Pensions.’ Through this funding, as well as future awards, RSSI estimates that it will be able to deliver at a minimum one course a month with 8 learners attending (in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions), resulting in an additional 864 new entrants from the local community over the course of the next 5-years.
The bilingual training programme provide new career pathways for women, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups as well as those not in employment, education, training or classed as economically inactive.
Since 2019, the programme has delivered 368 new frontline staff and produced a workforce with an average age of 35 and where minority groups represent 28% of the overall group many of which are now supporting major infrastructure projects for Amey Infrastructure Wales, Transport for Wales and Network Rail Wales.
Judging Comments by Vincent Hanly
“I am delighted to be asked to award the Pioneering Equality award to the Journey in Rail Project.
The judges felt this was a very worthy winner of the award for the following reason and I’m sure you will share in their achievement.
The ‘Journey into Rail’ programmes upskill members of local communities through a 4-week fully funded courses which consist of; rail, construction/civils/fencing, OLE, Arboriculture and Health & Safety competencies.
Since 2019, this initiative has provided 368 new frontline staff and produced a workforce with an average age of 35 and where minority groups represent 28% of the overall group. This initiative resulted in RSSI/IFS being certified as a ‘Disability Confident Leader’ and has been awarded silver certification by the ‘Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion’ (ENEI) through its Talent, Inclusion and Diversity Evaluation.
RSSI/IFS bilingual training programme provides new career pathways for women, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups as well as those not in employment, education, training or classed as economically inactive. This fully-funded 4- week course supports local communities by developing skills and employment through Local Enterprise Partnerships. The number of people who have undertaken the training is projected to have grown by a minimum of 40% by 2022 in line with recent contract awards for Transport for Wales and Network Rail (Wales). This initiative has also helped to increase the number of female workers throughout the company by 20%. Since 2019, the programme has delivered 368 new frontline staff and produced a workforce with an average age of 35 and where minority groups represent 28% of the overall group many of which are now supporting major infrastructure projects for Amey Infrastructure Wales, Transport for Wales and Network Rail (Wales).”
For more information about the Social Value for Future Generations Awards and other category winner: https://socialvalueportal.com/social-value-for-future-generations-awards-2021-winners
