In a series celebrating the Building Awards finalists, we look at the Delivering Social Value Award shortlist
Earlier this year Building announced the names of all the firms that made it onto the shortlists for our prestigious annual Building Awards.
Now we are shining the spotlight on each category in turn and publishing a selection of the images that impressed the judges.
Today’s shortlist is for the Delivering Social Value Award.
76 Southbank – Multiplex
The transformation of 76 Southbank demonstrates how construction can create lasting social value. Multiplex delivered a sustainable, low carbon workplace while prioritising inclusive employment, supporting underrepresented groups, and providing apprenticeships and local jobs.
Partnerships with schools and youth organisations enabled 17 engagement sessions and 14 work placements, inspiring future talent. The project also invested in Lambeth-based SMEs, raised £28,702 for charities, and contributed 379 volunteer hours. Meanwhile close community and stakeholder engagement ensured transparency and trust.
With top-tier sustainability credentials, 76 Southbank exemplifies purpose-driven design, innovation and a construction approach that benefits both people and the environment.
Ebury Project – Bouygues UK
The Ebury Project in Westminster exemplifies best-in-class social value delivery. Bouygues UK embedded community and tenant engagement at its core, creating a lasting legacy through initiatives such as a £110,000 Community Chest, 920 volunteer hours, and 193 educational support sessions. Innovative programmes included historical time capsules, bespoke employment and skills development, and environmental improvements.
Close collaboration with Westminster City Council, local stakeholders, and charities ensured the project met inclusive, sustainable and equitable objectives. Over five years, Ebury generated £20.5m in social and local economic value, setting a benchmark for responsible procurement, community investment, and positive long-term impact.
Dolphin Square
The regeneration of Dolphin Square prioritised social value alongside environmental and operational goals. Through a phased delivery model, residents remained on site with uninterrupted access to amenities, while community engagement was embedded in daily operations.
More than 500 donated items supported local families, alongside contributions to food banks and youth employability initiatives. Meanwhile estate staff received upskilling in ESG reporting and inclusive service, building a future-ready team.
Environmental improvements include zero on-site fossil fuel use, 95% operational carbon reduction, restored grade II-listed gardens, and biodiversity enhancements, and spaces such as the new cafe-bar foster connection and participation, making social value a lasting cultural legacy.
Carrstone House – Kori Construction
Carrstone House demonstrates Kori Construction’s commitment to lasting community impact. Pre-construction engagement identified Downham Market as a social mobility cold-spot, shaping project-specific social value targets.
More than 2,500 local young people were engaged through site tours, apprenticeships and careers activities, while partnerships with Swan Youth Project, local schools and the College of West Anglia provided ongoing mentorship and learning opportunities.
The Kori Community Fund supported local causes, and the British Heart Foundation led wellbeing initiatives.
Sustainability and biodiversity were prioritised, with low waste intensity, material reuse, maintained apple trees and raised vegetable planters, leaving both social and environmental legacies for the community.
40 Leadenhall Street – Mace
At 40 Leadenhall Street (40LH), Mace embedded social value from inception, with a dedicated manager ensuring meaningful local impact. The project spent £117.5m locally, supported charities and social enterprises with over £165,000, and addressed individual community needs, including safety and wellbeing improvements for neighbours.
It created 57 apprenticeships, engaged nearly 2,000 students through bespoke outreach programmes, and delivered 696 hours of work experience, prioritising inclusivity. Environmental innovation included adopting 41 best practices, biodiversity initiatives and sustainable materials.
Long-term programmes such as Building Futures, weekly science clubs, and collaborative design work with local charities reinforced 40LH’s lasting social, economic, and environmental legacy.
Join us for the 2025 edition of the Building Awards
This year’s event will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 4 November.
There are 22 awards being handed out, so make sure you are in the room for construction’s night of nights and to celebrate excellence.
Tickets are selling fast, so secure your place today.
Manor Road Quarter – Morgan Sindall Construction
Morgan Sindall’s Manor Road project delivered transformative social, economic and environmental impact in London’s Newham, generating over £14m of social value.
More than 400 local people worked on site, with 38 apprenticeships, 40 work experience placements and 50-plus educational events. Local businesses benefited from nearly £4.9m in spend, alongside £3,599 invested in community projects.
Innovations included outdoor gym equipment made from surrendered knives and a Homeless Feed Event supporting 35 people.
Environmentally, the project achieved BREEAM Excellent, created a 2ha park with more than 100 new trees, reused timber, went fully gas-free, and installed bird and bat boxes, embedding sustainability alongside community benefit.
Ward Williams and Mace
Since 2019, MWJV – a joint venture between Mace and Ward Williams Associates – has consistently demonstrated that consultancy-led delivery can generate deep, measurable and long-term social value.
Embedded locally in Cornwall, MWJV created 242 jobs, including 27 apprenticeships, and delivered 215 careers events plus 235 training opportunities. In addition, £39.5m was spent with local suppliers, generating £113.1m in social and local economic value.
Sustainability underpinned every project, supporting Cornwall Council’s 2030 carbon neutral goals through circular economy practices and low-carbon design.
By fostering local capability, nurturing supply chain growth, and promoting inclusion, MWJV has left a lasting, replicable legacy.
Gateshead Community Diagnostic Centre – QE Facilities
The Gateshead Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) opened in October 2024, transforming 50,000ft² of vacant retail space into a state-of-the-art NHS hub, delivering MRI, CT, ultrasound, ECG, phlebotomy and lung function testing.
Social value was central, with 134 new full-time roles, 145 weeks of apprenticeships, 452 local construction jobs and £6m local spend, including £1.2m directed to Gateshead SMEs. Environmental initiatives cut embodied and operational carbon by 20%-30%, achieved BREEAM Very Good and Excellent ratings, and enhanced biodiversity.
Community co-design, sustainability roadshows and innovative IT solutions improved patient outcomes, accessibility and skills development, embedding lasting social, economic and environmental benefits.
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