Social Value Report 2024

Social Value Report 2024: As we look back on 2024, it is clear that we have made significant progress across various domains, including employment, employee well-being, environmental sustainability, and diversity. This report outlines our commitment to social responsibility and its impact on our community and workforce.

Granby’s Social Value Position

We have been developing our Social Value policies and how we measure them for the past five years – and we update and publish our results annually. Social Value is an important topic for us:

Employee Ownership

Granby is an employee owned business. Granby take in Social Value, Net Zero, corporate social responsibility and sustainability into our approach to business. Since becoming an employee-owned business in 2022, Granby has reinforced our dedication to social value, providing employees with a greater stake in our collective success.

5 Key Social Value Themes

1. Tackling Economic Inequality – to increase supply chain resilience and capacity and create new jobs and skills.
2. Equal Opportunities – to reduce the disability employment gap and tackle workplace inequality by helping people.
3. Wellbeing – to improve health and wellbeing, and community integration.
4. Information Security – to mitigate and manage cyber security risks to the market, industry, sector and country
5. Fighting Climate Change – effective stewardship of the environment.

1.     Tackling Economic Inequality

Employment and Workforce Development

At Granby, our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a supportive work environment is evident in our impressive employee retention rate of 96.4% for full-time staff this year.

We are very proud to have been nominated for two prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Awards, recognising our dedication to employees with the Learning & Development nomination, and HR as finalists in the Person of the Year category. Our focus on workforce development is further highlighted by independent research, which shows that 84% of our employees feel they have access to valuable development and learning resources, and an equal percentage believe their performance evaluations are conducted fairly.

This year, we have made significant investments in education and training, with five employees achieving formal industry qualifications, 16 staff members enrolling at Blackburn College, and three apprentices joining our warehouse, finance, and client services teams. These efforts underscore our commitment to empowering our workforce and ensuring their growth and success within Granby.

2.     Equal Opportunities

Diversity and Inclusion

At Granby, our dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace is a cornerstone of our operation. As a proud holder of the Disability Confident Committed Employer award, we actively participate in the Government’s initiative to transform perceptions and practices around disability in the workplace. This year, we are pleased to report that we have employed four staff members with declared disabilities, reinforcing our commitment to inclusivity.

Our workforce is a vibrant tapestry of diversity, encompassing individuals from five different nationalities and four declared religions. This rich mix of backgrounds and perspectives contributes to a strong sense of unity, with 82% of our employees expressing that they feel part of a cohesive and supportive team. At Granby, we believe that embracing diversity not only enriches our company culture but helps drives innovation and success.

Charities

Throughout the year, Granby collaborate with a diverse range of charities, from prominent national organisations to grassroots local initiatives. We also take pride in supporting our employees in various sponsored activities, encouraging them to contribute to causes they are passionate about. Among the many charities we work with, there are four with whom we share a particularly close connection. These partnerships allow us to make a meaningful impact and strengthen our ties with the community:

Speed of Sight

Speed of Sight aims to give people with disabilities the opportunity to drive a car on a race track, enhancing their self-esteem and social interaction.

Granby is a prominent supporter of Speed of Sight, participating in their “Inspire 25 Club”, which is an ever-expanding group of like-minded businesses dedicated to changing the lives of people living with life-limiting disabilities. An ambition close to the heart of Granby as a business.

Lancashire Mind

Lancashire Mind are a independent local mental health charity. They’re passionate about making a difference to the mental health of people living and working in Lancashire.

Our Managing Director, Caroline Noblett was recently welcomed into the Lancashire Mind family in 2024 as a trustee and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee.

Community & Business Partners

Granby are proud to be members of Community & Business Partners CIC. CBP is an ethical, award winning, not-for-profit organisation based in Blackburn. CBP deliver a suite of high-impacting, successful, innovative, products and services to Businesses, Communities, the Environment and Education across the North West.

A guaranteed percentage of all fees, revenue and surplus is invested directly into Social, Charitable and Voluntary Impact activities, positively supporting and improving the day to day lives of the people within our communities.

Blackburn Youth Zone

Granby we are extremely proud to be patrons of the BYZ as they deliver such a transformative initiative for our community. The Blackburn with Darwen Patron Network truly believes in civic responsibility by not only supporting the Blackburn with Darwen Youth Zone financially but also volunteering time to help young people find employment opportunities.

3.     Wellbeing

Employee Wellbeing and Support

At Granby, we prioritise the well-being of our employees as a part of our culture. In 2024, an impressive 92% of our staff affirmed their belief that Granby genuinely cares about their well-being. This is a testament to our ongoing commitment to creating a supportive work environment.

We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we offer flexible working arrangements that 80% of our employees find beneficial. Our dedication to social responsibility is also recognised by 76% of our staff, highlighting our holistic approach to employee satisfaction. Furthermore, our employees actively contribute to the company’s well-being through participation in four Employee Committee Health and Safety meetings.

The Annual WCA Workplace Conditions Assessment Report serves as a valuable tool. It provides a risk-based solution for our management team to drive continuous improvement in our workplace conditions. This helps us ensure a safe and healthy environment for all.

Mental Health

Granby places a strong emphasis on mental health, demonstrated by our initiatives in 2024. Caroline’s involvement with Lancashire Mind highlights this commitment. We also appointed one mental health first aider and featured fourteen mental health topics in our monthly newsletters.

To help build our community spirit, we organised eighteen social events.

Health and safety are prioritised with nine first aiders, and employees have access to support through the Health Assured App. Additionally, with eleven health champions across the business, there is always someone available to talk to.

4.     Information Security

Information Security and Ethical Standards

A priority for Granby is Information Security. We hold three certificates; ISO 27001 for Information Security, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus. We are members of two trade bodies; LRGA and Bsi. In 2024, we conducted a third-party ethical audit along with three environmental audits to ensure compliance with ethical and environmental standards.

ISO Certifications

Granby holds several ISO certifications, in addition to ISO27001 we hold ISO9001 for quality, ISO14001 for the environment, ISO13485 for medical devices, and ISO22301 for business continuity. These certifications ensure we adhere to best practices and continuously improve our management systems.

5.     Fighting Climate Change

Environmental Sustainability

Granby’s commitment to environmental sustainability is reflected in our purchasing decisions. In 2024, we are proud to report that 100% of our packaging is sustainably sourced. And all packaging is FSC registered.

Fuel

Granby have replaced all diesel fuel in heaters, this delivers a reduction of 30% in nitrogen production and 86% less particulate matter, we have also switched our diesel forklift truck to an all-electric fleet in 2024.

EcoVadis

EcoVadis provides a holistic sustainability rating. Granby achieved a score of 69, placing us in the top 10% of companies assessed and giving us a Silver rating. These scorecards guide our sustainability efforts and help us develop action plans to enhance our performance.

Conclusion

Granby’s social value achievements in 2024 demonstrate a comprehensive approach to social responsibility. Our efforts in employment, employee well-being, diversity, environmental sustainability, and ethical standards have had a positive impact on our workforce and the broader community.

We remain committed to building on this foundation for continued growth and success in the future.