Almost 500 jobs and 90 new apprenticeships have been created within a year thanks to work delivered through social enterprise and procurement expert, Fusion21.
Celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, the national social enterprise says it ensures that its members – ranging from social housing associations to education and health providers – include social value targets as part of their projects such as creating local jobs and apprenticeship opportunities, voluntary work, and community-focused initiatives.
Fusion21 says that data analysed by it reveals that ‘hundreds more jobs and apprenticeships’ have been created and retained this last year – alongside a raft of work placement opportunities, training courses, and tailored careers advice for young people.
Data for the financial year 2022-23 shows that:
• 1,504 people benefited from employment opportunities – including sustaining and creating new jobs and apprenticeships, for both full and part-time roles.
• 496 jobs were created – more than double the 214 the previous year. Of the 496 jobs created, 442 were full-time and 54 were part-time.
• 857 jobs were sustained (people remained in a role), compared with 554 jobs the previous year.
• 90 apprenticeships, in areas as diverse as surveying and fire risk assessment, were created compared with 68 the previous year.
• 62 apprenticeships were sustained compared with 40 the previous year.
Other benefits include education, careers advice and training opportunities.
Suppliers and members using Fusion21 procurement frameworks also used their social value delivery to benefit communities by volunteering and donating to local good causes. Their generosity included donating to food banks, installing ramps at a local school to improve disabled access, creating communal garden areas, and donating security equipment to a homeless shelter. To date, Fusion21 has delivered over £165 million in social impact ,and created more than 11,151 employment outcomes.
Sarah Maguire, head of Social Value at Fusion21 (pictured) said: “These figures show just how impactful social value can be, with our members and suppliers on our frameworks creating and sustaining hundreds of jobs, apprenticeships, and incredibly valuable training opportunities and careers advice. The figures exceed targets, and reflect the commitment of our members and supply chain to collaborate to achieve impactful social value.
“As Fusion21 celebrates its 21st year, I could not be prouder to help our members to deliver social value they can see through intelligent procurement and take an outcome-driven approach to integrate social value into projects so communities as a whole can benefit from their projects.”
Fusion21 is a national social enterprise that ‘specialised in efficient and impactful public sector procurement and social value services. Originally created by and for the housing sector in 2002, it has since diversified into other sectors including local authority, education, NHS, and blue light.
