Social value

Image: Social value activities

Reimagining places for people to thrive.

Social value is a golden thread that runs throughout our business. We believe that giving opportunities for people to thrive is just as important as new buildings and infrastructure.

Our Social Value Strategy

We care about the good we as a business can do for the economy, for our communities, and for society. Launched in 2020, our five-year social value strategy has three key themes:  

Challenging inequality

Helping those furthest from the workforce.

We want to change people’s lives for the better, and support groups who face barriers to work. For example, those who’ve been through the criminal justice system, and ex-service individuals. Our Residential, FM and Developments businesses are accredited with the Living Wage Foundation to champion the real Living Wage.

Image: Inspiring and educating young people about this sector

Inspiring the next generation

Inspiring and educating young people about this sector.

We want to diversify and widen our talent pool, and more young people to discover the brilliant careers in the built environment. Since 2020, we’ve engaged 80,000 young people and hope to reach 100,000 by 2025. We run education outreach programmes to young people from primary school through to college. Our aim is to support them to raise aspirations, develop their potential and learn about the world of work. This includes assemblies and workshops in schools, and work experience through our T-Level placements, and summer programme.

Image: Supporting and scaling up social enterprises

Supporting thriving communities

Supporting and scaling up social enterprises.

Social enterprises are businesses which trade for a social or environmental purpose. We have spent over £31m with social enterprises since 2020 and are targeting £45m by 2025. Through our ASSETS programme Wates employees support social enterprises to scale, mentoring them to develop and grow their businesses. We’re a founding partner of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge, a consortium of businesses who together want to spend £1bn with social enterprises by 2026.

Interested in a Social Value job at Wates?

Quality Manager

Location: West Midlands

Job Type: SHEQ

Application Deadline: 11-11-2025

Wates are looking for a Quality Manager to join our team focussing on high profile, technically complex projects across multiple sectors.If you are passionate about Quality with proven technical skills looking for an opportunity to challenge the norm, bring fresh new ideas and elevate yourself within the industry then join us and help to create tomorrow together.This is a great opportunity to progress your career as part of a talented, diverse, and supportive team.ABOUT THE ROLEOur Quality Managers are a valuable part of our business, driving quality outcomes, enhancing buildability and fostering innovation. Quality Managers work collaboratively with our project teams, industry specialists and in-house technical experts to ensure projects are delivered ‘Right First Time’ in accordance with drawings and specification with a firm focus on added value, compliance, commercial viability, and best practice. As our Quality Manager you will: Regularly visit projects to support and develop people’s skills on the practical application of the Operating Framework, Delivering the Promise and quality management. Positively influence Wates team and key supply chain members behaviours so they actively deliver customer satisfaction and strive to reduce mistakes, rework / recalls and defects Undertake a review of works on site to check the quality of installation is in line with specification and drawings and that records have been maintained to the relevant standard. Support projects to resolve any issues which have been identified Carry out compliance reviews (internal audits) in accordance with ISO 19011:2011 on a range of projects, activities and key supply chain members. Provide accurate reports and publish to relevant parties. Ensure corrections are recorded with and closed out by the project team. Review construction practice and actively promote understanding of quality management to help ensure compliance with statutory and client requirementsWHAT WE OFFER Competitive salary & profit share scheme Flexible working Car Allowance / Company Car * Travel covered to any of our sites* Extensive corporate benefits including, Private Medical, Pension 8% employers contribution, Health and Wellness programme, 26 days holidays + bank holidays and much more… One of the best learning and development programmes which is customizable to support your career progression goals. (c.7000 training sessions delivered year to date across the WATES Group) Industry leading family leave benefits to included 26 weeks fully paid maternity, 12 weeks fully paid paternity.(*Subject to role…….)To find out more about LIFE AT WATES please click on the following link https://www.wates.co.uk/careers/We are always looking for a variety of new talent to join our teams, to help us grow and innovate as a business. Although you may not have all of the skills listed, many of them may be transferable to other roles within the WATES Group.If you would like clarity on any of our vacancies or to discuss career opportunities in strict confidence, please contact our In-House Recruitment Team directly via recruitment@wates.co.uk and one of us will get in touch as soon as possible.As a responsible and inclusive employer, we are committed to equality and are proud to have been recognised for this through a range of accolades including gold accreditation with Investors in People, we are also a Disability Confident employer. Being a family owned, business means we understand and value long term relationships.Given the nature of this position, you will need to undergo a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) at offer stage. Applicants with criminal convictions will be assessed individually, and we assure you that we do not discriminate based on an applicant's criminal record or the details of any disclosed offenses. Additionally, certain roles may be subject to additional pre-employment checks. To learn more about the checks included in this process, please click on the following link: National Security Vetting