How the Purpose Lab is helping employers and students to shape social impact in the workplace
Providing insights into purpose-led businesses for students who want to learn more about their ethos while enabling companies to hear directly from young people about what is important to them is at the centre of the Purpose Coalition’s Purpose Lab programme. It harnesses the potential of students from universities and colleges by giving them real world work experience in shaping responsible business strategies for some of the UK’s largest businesses.
In our latest webinar, our Student Ambassadors joined Purpose Coalition partner and leading civil and structural engineering consultancy, Curtins. Its Board Director, Rhiannon Carss, and HR & Recruitment Advisor, Stephanie Haughey, gave students the chance to find out more about the background, purpose and values of the company.
Approaching its 65th birthday, students heard how Curtins - a business that is at the cutting edge of modern technology - is nevertheless rooted in a heritage where its people always come first. It became employee owned in 2021 and is now a business that is fully guided by the voices and expertise of its staff. That’s what sets it apart - its workforce is in full control of the company’s direction of travel in its mission to make a difference to the lives of real people.
At the heart of the business is a commitment to its colleagues and communities. As a business with a relatively small workforce, its leadership – many of whom started in junior roles in the company - knows their teams well and can lean into their priorities and their concerns. Its business strategy is built around four areas – people, projects, clients and business resilience. Although the immediate focus can vary, the need for people to come first is non-negotiable. And it recognises that its people do their best work if they are happy and connect with the business and its values.
It works hard to make sure that happens in a sector which has not always been accessible to everyone. It conducts targeted STEM outreach to encourage and inspire those with no knowledge of the sector to consider the opportunities it offers, working with children from primary school age onwards and, importantly, with teachers. It has a four-year Academy Programme which invests in the development of its graduates.
This webinar shone a particular spotlight on what Curtins is doing to promote women’s equality in an industry which has traditionally been predominantly male, including around the issue of menstrual health. Although the number of female graduates is higher at Curtins than the national average, it recognises that there is still work to be done to increase that further. It is also addressing the proportion of women in management, including the board. That will depend on whether women feel comfortable at work and Curtins is leading the way in gender support within the construction industry. It has identified critical gaps in workplace support for women and has created a more empathetic work environment with a pioneering menstruation campaign. Our ambassadors were encouraged to hear about the example Curtins is setting for other businesses.
Curtins also gave details of how it is addressing the issue of neurodiversity to stay true to its commitment to have a workforce where everyone feels included and valued. It is already working towards increasing representation through mentoring and networking initiatives, in addition to the social events and team building programmes that it holds. But it acknowledges that by increasing its awareness of the common challenges faced in the work environment by neurodivergent people, it can enhance the whole employee experience for everyone in a more holistic way. Our ambassadors were keen to engage on this, also raising the topic of how businesses provide support for hidden disabilities.
The event highlighted how a smaller company can still have a big impact on the lives of its staff and the communities it serves. Giving our Student Ambassadors the opportunity to connect with a leading business, learn more about it and actively engage on how it might do even more is a win-win. It provides real-world experience for students to bridge the gap between academic studies and industry practices and gives our Purpose Coalition partners a better understanding of young people’s priorities when entering the world of work, with their perspectives helping them to build fresh solutions to social and business challenges. It’s a collaboration which not only empowers students but helps businesses build socially conscious, inclusive, and forward-thinking strategies.
Rhiannon Carss comments:
“It was an absolute privilege to engage with the Purpose Lab Ambassadors, sharing insights into the ways we operate at Curtins and the intentional steps we've taken to cultivate a distinctive, people-centric culture. Our approach fosters an environment where individuals are empowered to grow, collaborate, and thrive, ensuring that our values are not just words but a lived experience within our organisation."
