The award recognises an outstanding employer within the construction and property sector in Greater Lincolnshire who has demonstrated a strong commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, as well as Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (E,D&I). The employer must have actively fostered a positive work environment, prioritised the well-being of their employees, and promoted sustainability and inclusivity in their business practices.   

Hi Neale, congratulations on Waldeck’s shortlist!  

“Thank you! We would like to hope that we gave the judges a good insight into our business and some unique reasons as to why Waldeck might deserve to win this award. 

“Our award submission has been primarily written by our HR and Marketing team who have had significant input into a lot of the schemes and initiative mentioned, as well as having a wider reach within the organisation in terms of building rapport and relationships with employees to truly understand what is important to the people within the business and how this can be delivered alongside the businesses objectives.  

“We entered this award as we truly believe Waldeck are a great place to work and a great employer, who are not only ticking all the right boxes in terms of what is industry best practice (living wage employer, supporting memberships etc) but also a business that truly values its people and what is important to them, whether this be professional development, work-life balance, professional development, charity, sustainable living etc. 

“Waldeck operate on four core values which we believe differentiate us from our competitors and drive us forward as a business – Courage, Care, Curiosity and Collaboration.  

“As a team, we are working hard to support and grow the best people, in order to deliver the best projects and add value to our community, economy, clients and partners.” 

Find out more about Waldeck’s different initiatives below:

Waldeck’s Environmental, Social & Governance Initiatives 

We understand that our ESG efforts are crucial to long-term value creation and growth. 

We believe that sustainable growth is the only way to build a successful business, provide a solution to the skills crisis and have a lasting positive impact on our environment and society. That’s why, as part of the wider Morson Group, we’ve developed our ESG commitments in our ‘For Tomorrow’ Framework, which underpins our behaviours and operations across the three key areas of Environment, Social & Governance.  

Waldeck’s E, D & I Initiatives  

One of the key strategies employed is a focus on informing and inspiring individuals from underrepresented communities. Waldeck actively promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce and encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in the engineering and construction industry. This includes participating in events, career fairs, and engaging with local communities to raise awareness and provide opportunities. 

In terms of recruitment, we have implemented inclusive practices to attract a diverse talent pool. We’ve established partnerships with organisations and educational institutions to reach out to individuals from diverse backgrounds. As a result, the statistics show that 38% of the Waldeck team are from non-white British communities, which is a significant increase from the 15% representation five years ago. Additionally, 20% of the team identifies as women, surpassing the national average of 13.7% for women in the engineering industry as a whole. 

To ensure the retention of a diverse workforce, Waldeck has implemented measures to create an inclusive and supportive work environment. We also have an internal E,D & I committee who are tasked with implementing new strategies into the business to continue to improve our business for all of our employees. 

Other E, D & I activities include: 

  • Website space – we’ve created a space on our website to collate specifically the news, achievements and insights from the women we work with, in order to celebrate their successes and inspire others. 
  • Encouraging ambassadorship – our employees who represent minority groups are supported in their own endeavours to attend events, act as ambassadors etc to help support this important shift in the industry  
  • Coverage and visibility – we actively celebrate national days and encourage visibility and voices from minority groups across our news stories, team interviews, Q&A panels etc.  
  • Mentoring – alongside our own in-house mentoring, our employees support a range of mentoring schemes with local universities  

Employee Well-being and Development 

As a business we have worked incredibly hard over the past few years to improve and enhance our culture, on top of the usual company benefits we also offer our team: 

  • Annual Charity Day – Each member of staff is granted one day’s annual leave each year to support a charity or local cause 
  • Charity Events – Inviting staff to partake in events such as Fire Walks, Charity Bike rides etc during work hours  
  • Funded Memberships – We support our team by paying for 1 membership per year to an organisation of their choice i.e. CIPD or the Institution of Civil Engineers 
  • Social Events – Anniversary parties, Christmas parties. We also have quarterly staff-socials paid for by the business  
  • STEM / STEAM Ambassador Network – we have developed an in-house network of ambassadors inline with STEM Learning UK where we have trained our staff to be able to go into schools etc to teach classes around STEM/STEAM topics  

Supporting Professional Development

At Waldeck, our people are at the heart of everything we do, as a service-based organisation, we ensure we support our people to explore their passions and unlock their potential through their development and training. Across our network of offices, development is key in encouraging our team to reach the next level in their career and be the best they can be. 

A key element of this is our in-house Early Careers Development Programme. Our apprenticeships and graduate roles aim to support young professionals looking to pursue a successful career in industry. This internal programme also supports our mid-to-senior team members too by empowering them to mentor the Early Careers team through a structured framework as they progress in their own roles.  

Our commitment for training spans beyond ‘young talent’ and we are committed to the learning and development of staff throughout the entirety of their career, with a headcount of approx. 120 people, we’re proud to say that:  

  • 53 members of staff completed training courses in 2023  
  • 12 team members have been enrolled onto apprenticeships in the last 2 years 
  • 20 junior employees enrolled on to the Early Careers Development Programme in 2023 
  • 14 employees trained as mentors in 2023 

Employee Satisfaction 

First and foremost, we foster a culture of open communication and inclusivity within our organisation. We regularly engage with our employees through various channels, including team meetings and feedback sessions. By soliciting input from our staff members, we ensure that everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their ideas and insights to their work and the wider busiess. This approach not only enhances employee satisfaction but also cultivates a collaborative environment where innovation thrives. 

The proof for us is in how our employees feel about working for us and what they deliver to clients.  

Since 2021, Waldeck has seen a 30% increase in retention figures, indicating that employees feel more engaged and satisfied. Each year, Waldeck take part in the independent b-Heard survey. The b-Heard survey allows our business to gain honest and insightful feedback by asking our employees to submit their responses both confidentially and securely. 

Our most recent bHeard independent employee engagement survey has recognised Waldeck as a 3-star world-class organisation, the highest score in the survey. The survey statistics from 2023 demonstrate high levels of employee satisfaction: 

  • 88% – This job is good for my own personal growth 
  • 76% – The training in this job is a great benefit to me personally 
  • 86% – I feel proud to work for this organisation 
  • 87% – I believe I can make a valuable contribution to the success of this organisation 
  • 82% – I love working for this organisation 

Sustainability Practices 

Not only is sustainability underpinned across all of Waldeck’s disciplines, it is also an integral part of our operations. 

Guided by a passion for sustainability, through innovation, collaboration, and conscious decision-making, we strive to maximise the positive environmental influence of our business and our projects. 

Waldeck operate with purpose and commitment towards a sustainable future, dedicated to integrating environmental responsibility, sustainable design and environmentally-conscious operations to create a lasting, positive impact on our planet. The team also get involved in local initiatives such as litter picking and tree planting. Find out more in our Sustainability hub >

Community Engagement and Social Responsibility 

We are proud to be able to give back to our wider community through a range of schemes and endeavours. 

By recognising the importance of contributing to the areas in which we live and work, as well as being able to contribute to charities and groups that are close to our hearts, we hope to be able to make a difference where it matters. Check out some of our social value activities here:  

Waldeck engage with our local community through various initiatives, such as sponsoring local events, attending careers fairs, offering educational workshops, donating to foodbanks, fundraising for local charities and more. Find out more in our Social Value hub >

Neale Stephens concluded:

“As you can see from the above, winning this award would not just be a recognition of our past achievements; it would act as a catalyst for future growth, allowing us to scale our efforts in promoting sustainability, inclusivity, and employee well-being, and enhancing our contributions to society.”