A national construction company is working with a unique social value-led business to support charity programmes and provide thousands of free meals across the North of England.

Recycling Lives has been providing waste management services to 19 United Living sites across the country. The recycling and waste management business uses its commercial operations to support its own charitable programmes for offender rehabilitation, food redistribution and supporting the homeless, allowing clients like United Living to create social value, as well as environmental value, from their contracts.

Working with the social business, relative to its contract spend, the national construction contractor has supported the creation of around £85,000 social value through these programmes, as Recycling Lives reduces reoffending and homelessness to create savings to the taxpayer. It has also supported the delivery of 10,000 meals to communities across Lancashire and Cumbria, through Recycling Lives’ Food Redistribution Centre.

Simon Edwards, commercial director for Recycling Lives, said:

“We develop recycling partnerships that change lives – guaranteeing our clients social, as well as financial and environmental value from their waste contracts.

“Our recycling business supports and sustains our own charity and social enterprise, allowing us to create social impact from every contract we deliver, through our three social programmes designed to rehabilitate offenders, support homeless people and redistribute food.

“By working with businesses like United Living, who share our social values, we can create a significant impact for individuals, communities and society.”

David Jenkins, group head of procurement at United Living, said:

“We have partnered with Recycling Lives for almost two years and passionately believe in the provision of social value. Their ability to support the delivery of this, plus their proven capability to provide professional waste management services have impressed us. We want to continue to provide greater social value through this relationship in the future.”

United Living’s partnership with Recycling Lives has supported the delivery of its offender rehabilitation programme in HMP Styal in Cheshire, HMP Thorn Cross in Cheshire and HMP Hatfield in South Yorkshire. Here men and women undertake recycling work, processing waste electricals to recycle plastics, glass and metals while developing skills, achieving qualifications and earning an enhanced wage. Each is supported to secure work and housing upon release to reduce their risk of reoffending. Recycling Lives records a reoffending rate of less than 5% for the hundreds of men and women it supports, creating social value worth millions each year.