Determined to make a difference

Highwood’s responsibility to sensitive, sustainable development applies to every area of our core activities. From the application of technologies that improve the thermal performance of our buildings to an ESG policy that commits funds from every project we deliver to a community project, we’re determined to make a difference that counts.

Our commitment to people, planet and purpose

We’re committed to being operationally carbon zero at our offices and to care for our people and planet – that promise sits at the heart of our ESG journey. It’s supported by our cross-team Eco Committee that’s here to focus our attention on improving all aspects of our operation and we’re actively working on our road map to become net zero.

We’ve introduced an Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme, begun projects at Horndean and Chandlers Ford that aim to be net zero in carbon operation and we’ve worked with University of Southampton on our first Sustainability Report that will comply with GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) standards. Plans to embark on our B-Corp journey and work closely with our suppliers and sub-contractors to reduce our impact on our planet are already underway.

We’ve continued our pledge to make positive contributions within the local communities in which we operate, including typically donating over £20,000 to charities, events and causes every year. We’ve supported initiatives from Chichester Pride and the Horndean Green Loop to the local Relay Marathon and Romsey Primary School. We’ve gifted vouchers and donations to the Trussle Trust and Early Help Family Hub and supported multiple small causes that are close the hearts of our team and partners. We’ve also launched our social value plan that, with the support of our partners and suppliers, will further enhance our goals to support the people and communities around us.

We’ve also taken the lead in securing ways to support education and skills in our sector alongside local colleges, schools and charities – that’s where everyone’s ESG journey should begin, after all.

ACTIONS THAT SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

The Highwood & University of Southampton collaboration

We joined forces with the University of Southampton’s Business School in an exciting collaboration to promote the sustainability agenda and encourage local enterprise to champion sustainability learning. In the process, we’re helping the Business School report on its partners’ carbon neutral journeys.

Read the story and discover how our greener choices – and those of our supply chain partners will lead to a more sustainable future.

PROMOTING THE SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA

SAFEGUARDING MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH

Every single working day in the UK, two workers in the construction industry take their own life. That’s why Highwood has partnered MangGang and The Lighthouse Charity – we don’t believe anyone should suffer in silence.

Through on-site workshops, ‘Help Inside the Hard Hat’ bus tours and sponsored walks ‘Into the Light’, we’re playing our part to raise awareness and help construction workers feel more able to talk and share the load.

 

Read about our mental health initiatives

CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY & EQUALITY FOR ALL

Championing diversity and equality means doing what we can to make a positive impact on people and groups who need support and a voice for change.

Our Littlehampton Community Fund helped to support the 2023 Chichester Pride Festival – contributions will help keep ticket prices low and inspire more people to visit this wonderful annual event.

What can you do to support diversity, inclusion and welfare for those in your workplace or community?

Read how we supported Pride

THE HIGHWOOD COMMUNITY FUND

The Highwood Community Fund designates £5,000 for every project to a community scheme that will benefit and enrich the lives of people who live in the areas our work touches.

To date, we’ve helped in all sorts of ways – from building a new playground for the Pavilion Pirates nursery in Botley to donating vouchers that can be used for food, clothing, toys and school uniform to the Early Help Service to support families in Arun who are in crisis.

Click our case studies to read about what we’ve done for the Horndean Green Loop project and Romsey Primary School’s children.

See how we helped out at Littlehampton

CASE STUDY: THE HORNDEAN GREEN LOOP

We donated £10,000 to Horndean Parish Council for a wonderful initiative to encourage residents and visitors to walk and cycle around the town and connect to its beautiful open spaces through a safe, well-signed route. The Green Loop Project is being delivered by Horndean Parish Council and aims to reduce the dependence on travel by car.

Read how our Horndean Retirement Village Community Fund is helping people connect to the town’s historic trails and green spaces and promoting health and wellbeing in the process.

Explore the Green Loop project

CASE STUDY: ROMSEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Supporting our local community means a lot to everyone at Highwood. So much so, that when our local Romsey Primary School wanted to create a new outdoor classroom, we funded the project and volunteered to build it ourselves.

The project to enrich the way children learn about science and other subjects while connecting with nature was a huge hit and will reward children for generations to come.

Click to read more and watch our video to see how our volunteers built this amazing new teaching space.

How we're helping local children learn

We can all make a positive contribution to the communities our work touches

When a team of Highwood runners embarked on a relay marathon held in the historic grounds of Broadlands, we raised enough money to help Romsey Primary School and Nursery invest in new stage equipment to help its children put on fantastic shows with added Wow. Here’s our film of the day our team ran their hearts out to make a difference.

 

“What matters most to us is creating a lasting positive legacy on our environment, our partners and the communities our work touches. We’re committed to delivering social value and making a positive environmental impact. Through sensitive, strategic collaboration with our supply chain and client partners, our projects can support and enrich our local communities’ economies, their skills bases and employment opportunities while protecting their environments and ecologies. In doing so, we’re helping to make the Central South a better, more sustainable place to live for everyone.”

Jessica Forte

People and ESG Director, Highwood

"We’re now providing a range of spaces for children to learn in where they feel safe, happy and can readjust. The new outdoor teaching space is an amazing opportunity for them to have their own special sanctuary and benefit from the special connection between nature and education. It’s also important for us to shape future generations’ attitudes to service and charity and to show the impact those values can make. Highwood has demonstrated that explicitly through its very generous donation – the message that gives is invaluable."

Jason Anderson

Headteacher, Romsey Primary School

"We are incredibly grateful to all at Highwood, not only for the amazing support they have shown us with our projects and events, but the way they have embraced our mission and helped us spread our message among their teams and suppliers. Highwood truly is a beacon of hope."

Andy Bishop

ManGang

“As the Early Help service, we will use the vouchers to support families in Arun who are experiencing crisis and need support. They will be able to purchase food, clothing, toys and school uniform with the vouchers. Thank you again for your support and kindness, it will reach many of our most vulnerable families.”

Rea Painter

Service Manager, Early Help, West Sussex Council

“Horndean Parish Council was thrilled when Highwood offered funding support at the outset of this major new project of walking for health, wellbeing and interest. The trail will enhance how residents live here and the funding enables us to move the project forward in Blendworth where Highwood is building the new care home and retirement village. Part of our vision is to facilitate the integration of the new residents into the existing community through their accessing the trails and local facilities and immersing themselves in the area’s history. Highwood’s funding has double value as it enables us to obtain match funding for the project.”

Elaine Tickell

Vice Chairman, Horndean Parish Council

“Collaboration will give our students hands-on experience and employability skills. The collaboration will also help the Southampton Business School by attracting more students who want to have education that’s relevant to the employer. It will also help combat climate change as many small businesses measure and manage their impacts. We’re really grateful that Highwood has given us the opportunity to improve our students’ employability skills. We appreciate the team’s dedication to this project and hope that Highwood can continue to support us in years to come.”

Dr Pingli Li

Head of Department of Accounting, The Business School, University of Southampton

Ready to make a change?

If you’ve got a vision and a desire to make real change when it comes to people and planet, you need an ESG plan. Talk to us about the incredible, measurable difference our collaboration with University of Southampton is making and find out how you can get started.

Get in touch