Social Impact
Holding ourselves accountable for meaningful change
As well as measuring the impact we’re making through the Foundation, we also measure the impact of the whole of the City & Guilds group against our theory of change model.
City & Guilds
Social Impact Report 2022
City & Guilds Foundation impact dashboard
Our ambition
Learning new skills is a wonderful gift in and of itself but it is also an essential step for people to progress. Training and qualifications are only worthwhile if they support development and progression, improve productivity or help to fill skills gaps.
At the City & Guilds Group we have long championed the value of skills to help people into a job, progress on the job and move into the next one. In fact helping people, organisations and economies to develop their skills for growth is our core purpose.
That is why this year we have gone further, setting ourselves a bold ambition to understand, measure and report on the societal impact we are having across every touch point in all of our activities, markets and sectors.
Our theory of change
Over the past year, we have been developing our social impact framework, in partnership with Cranfield University and The Giving Department, and this report shares our process, in what will be a regular and robust measurement of our social impact. This first report is mostly about how we developed our Theory of Change approach, and how it is helping to shape our focus, as well as sharing current baseline evidence of our impact, where that exists. We’re on the right track, and we can now build on that work throughout the Group.
We recognise that this is a long-term commitment, which starts rather than finishes with this report. We are making eight clear commitments to take forward will soon be measuring and reporting all of our social metrics alongside our financial performance to ensure we offer the greatest possible impact through our qualifications and services.
‘Helping people, organisations and economies develop their skills for growth’
People
• Learner reach and completion
• Improving wellbeing
• Progression
• Sustained employment
→ Secure & sustained employment
Organisations
• Reach
• Embedded skills
• Organisational performance
• Added value
→ Strengthened organisations
Wider Society
• Changing the nature of learning
• Addressing skills in need
• Championing vocational learning
• Focusing on sector-based outcomes
→ Skilled & productive society
Our commitments
Integrate
social metric reporting alongside financial reporting by 2022.
Measure & Report Annually
From now on, measure & report City & Guilds’ impact on people, organisations and wider society on an annual basis.
People
Towards Secure & Sustained Employment
By 2023
provide digital badging as standard to help create a clear pathway and so learners can understand career progression.
Support
learning providers to efficiently embed ability outcomes and progression of learners.
Organisations
Towards Strengthened Organisations
Work With Employers
to identify the need for skills recognition, in industries experiencing significant change, starting with Global Hospitality Certification.
Develop the Princess Royal Training Award Alumni
to better understand and illustrate the impact of skills development on organisational performance.
Wider Society
Towards a Skilled & Productive Society
Champion Vocational and Technical Training
Working in partnership in key areas with skills gaps to reposition life-long learning as a crucial driver of sustained employment.
By 2022
we will create longitudinal assessment to develop a clearer understanding of how skills build resilience, wellbeing and social value.
“As a purpose-led organisation we believe it is no longer enough to have social intentions, we need to be able to demonstrate social impact.”
City & Guilds Foundation impact dashboard: our impact in numbers
“It’s inspiring to see the real difference that investing in skills development can make to improving lives. Through supporting those who face barriers gaining employment, activating our stakeholder network and identifying and celebrating excellence, we are proud of the contribution our Foundation makes to the impact of the Group.”
City & Guilds Social Impact Report 2022
Read the City & Guilds Social Impact Report 2022 now
City & Guilds Social Impact Report 2021
Read the City & Guilds Social Impact Report 2021 now
City & Guilds Social Impact Report 2020
Read the City & Guilds Social Impact Report 2020 now