Costain enhances social value measurement on infrastructure projects

Costain, the infrastructure solutions company, is rolling out a new social value tool designed to help delivery teams consistently measure and improve social impact and outcomes​ across all of its projects. Costain delivers social value across a range of activities including community engagement, volunteering, skills and knowledge sharing, and STEM advocacy.

The tool, which has been successfully piloted on some of Costain’s projects in the water sector, offers the unique feature of standardising data-driven evidence of the positive societal and environmental impacts achieved during a project’s lifecycle. The collected data is then analysed and converted into social, environmental and economic valuations, aligning with the UK Government’s Social Value Model.

In addition, the tool can report against bespoke frameworks when required by customers, making it possible to benchmark performance and outcomes against similar infrastructure schemes. It also has built-in forecasting capabilities which allow Costain to predict how much social value a project will deliver before it begins, in turn helping to improve the accuracy of target-setting and providing a better understanding of a project’s expected outcomes.​

Following its successful trial in Costain’s water sector, the tool will be implemented across all Costain’s sectors including road, rail, integrated transport, energy, and defence and nuclear energy.

Catherine Warbrick, chief people and sustainability officer at Costain, commented: “We’re investing in the tools and technology that will help us improve people’s lives, both through the services we provide and in the way we operate. More accurately recording our social, economic and environmental outcomes will give us a better understanding of the impact we’re making, and ensure a positive, lasting legacy for the communities we serve.”

Costain’s investment in the new tool comes after the company, celebrating its 160^th anniversary in 2025, announced that it was donating a record number of volunteering days to improve people’s lives through better employment prospects and supporting community projects across the UK. Last year, Costain announced its Social Value Plan, which aims to improve the lives of one million people by 2030 through activities such as volunteering and community efforts.

Recent social value initiatives have included:

• CMDP, a joint venture between Costain and MWH Treatment, has been using the social value tool as part of its AMP7 delivery for Southern Water. CMDP has supported the Hands of Hope charity to create spaces at the Hope Farm Community Garden to help the charity deliver community programmes aimed at tackling rural isolation, loneliness, and food poverty. In addition, Xenia Magdaleno-Tseng, a project engineer and STEM ambassador operating at the Lingfield wastewater treatment works site, has judged a local school’s engineering competition, working with students on their learning goals and inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals.
• As a key partner in Sellafield’s Decommissioning Delivery Project (DDP), Costain has worked collaboratively to maximise social value and improve people’s lives for local communities. This has included the refurbishment of Frizington and Egremont youth and community centres operated by the Phoenix Youth Project. DDP and the Phoenix Youth Project have also delivered a community action plan in neighbouring Cleator Moor, one of the most deprived towns in England and Wales, to drive community engagement and target issues such as mental wellbeing.

Commenting on the partnership with DDP and Costain, Paul Rowe, project manager, The Phoenix Youth Project, said: “Youth work has the power to improve people’s lives and promote positive outcomes for young people, but charities like ours rely on the support of organisations such as Costain to ensure we provide services that make a tangible difference.

“Costain has been a supporter of our charity for several years and has enabled us to deliver youth work services to hundreds of young people each year. Both the Frizington and Egremont youth centres have been transformed from buildings that were unfit for use into modern, vibrant centres that the local community is hugely proud of.”

Julie Francis, head of people and customer at CMDP, which has been trialling Costain’s social value tool, said: “At CMDP, we place a strong emphasis on social value and recognise the profound benefits of utilising technology and tools that benefit local communities and help our supply chain as we deliver crucial updates for Southern Water. With Costain’s social value tool, we are able to accurately capture key information and measure the impact of how our initiatives are improving people’s lives and helping the planet. The tool also empowers our supply chain partners, ensuring that we continue to work together to drive positive change and create lasting value.”

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