We have developed our own social outcomes framework (below), a core set of principles to guide us – and our clients – on how to design and deliver projects that leave a positive legacy.

The set of 15 indicators provides a definition of an inclusive community. It articulates what we are aiming to achieve: improving people’s lives and communities through better outcomes in accessibility, inclusion, empowerment, resilience and wellbeing.

We use it to deliver better outcomes through:

Better principles: Fundamentally, the framework provides a reminder and challenge to us to ensure we have a clear focus on outcomes for communities, not just the asset or the output.

Better, more inclusive design: The framework includes design guidance, developed by social and infrastructure specialists, to support us in delivering inclusive infrastructure.

Better decision-making: The framework can support our clients in their decision-making by measuring the potential social impacts and contributions of infrastructure. In this way, it can enhance optioneering and measurement, and augment traditional cost-benefit analysis by considering who experiences project benefits and the extent to which
local needs are being met.

Better understanding: The framework can act as a risk, opportunity and assessment matrix to make sure we anticipate and avoid negative outcomes, and identify ways in which we can maximise benefits for communities.

We use the framework on our projects to identify solutions to meet our clients' challenges, and ensure that local people and users are always front and centre of our infrastructure delivery.

It enables us to embed inclusion into our project planning and delivery processes so that it is not an add-on or optional service.

For us, finding ways to deliver better social outcomes is business as usual.