Our Social Value Policy sets out our commitment to the environment, the economy, our supply chains and to wellbeing. We have a minimum global target of two percent of turnover per annum and we review this annually to assess achievements and set new objectives. Existing commitments include:
- Apprenticeships, prioritising candidates from ethnic minorities or people with disabilities and supporting them with generous salaries (our pay rates are above the median of London architects), tuition fees and weekly RIBA Part lll in-house classes run by our CEO, Paul Sandilands.
- Many staff are RIBA Ambassadors working with local schools and committing days for creative design classes and workshops, mentoring and career days plus studio tours of our offices.
- For 15 years we have given time, made direct donations and raised over £450k for our sponsored charity, Body & Soul, which supports young people, mostly from ethnic minorities, who have suffered lifechanging traumatic experiences. LDS employees Alex Lifschutz and Nicky Trainor have continuously served as trustee/chair and as trustee secretary respectively over that period.
- Donating equipment and resources to local VCSEs and funding local charitable projects with cash.
