In signing the charter, SCAPE Scotland and a collective of the nation’s leading construction, civil engineering and consultancy firms have reinforced their commitment to generating positive and long-lasting social value in Scottish communities.

SCAPE Scotland’s delivery partners Arup, Balfour Beatty, Faithful & Gould, Kier, McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Ltd, Morgan Sindall, and Triskelion, will work together to deliver a comprehensive programme of initiatives in local communities starting with sustainability and providing employment and skills.

The Community Legacy Programme has been designed to increase community benefits delivered by public sector construction projects across Scotland. This includes increasing employment and training opportunities in areas of high unemployment, as well as embedding sustainable practices across local supply chains as SCAPE Scotland targets the adoption of carbon neutral construction practices and the delivery of net zero buildings through its projects by 2028.

SCAPE Scotland Construction, Consultancy, and Civil Engineering frameworks currently operate with a collective buying power of £3 billion. The benefits created by the Community Legacy Programme will be measured using the National Themes, Outcomes and Measures framework, developed by the National Social Value Taskforce, of which SCAPE Scotland is a member.

National bee highway

The first initiative to be launched as part of the programme is ‘The Pallet Project’. This will give Scottish schools and community groups across Scotland the opportunity to construct a ‘bee highway’ reusing old pallets to help reinstate much needed natural bee habitats and teach about how to recycle and reuse materials. Projects will be supported with lesson plans/instructions and materials for pupils aged 11 - 14 to follow and construct planters that feature bee-friendly wildlife.

The aim is to contribute to wider networks of habitats. Each individual project will deliver vital new bee habitats to help strengthen colonies, with each one close enough for bees to migrate between, whilst bringing native wildflowers into public spaces and minimising environmental impact by recycling pallets from construction projects.

Lillian McDowall, senior relationship manager at SCAPE Scotland, said: “As public sector construction continues to drive the nation’s economic recovery, it’s imperative that we maximise its value and meet the needs of local communities – be that through apprenticeships, local job creation or inspiring future generations through green design. The Community Legacy Programme is a symbol of our commitment to going above-and-beyond to support vibrant and prosperous communities and ensuring that the construction industry continues to act as a force for good.”

A recent national study, conducted by YouGov on behalf of SCAPE, found that the Scottish public overwhelmingly preferred local authorities to work with construction partners that create community benefits ahead of delivering projects at the lowest cost.