#LeadingWithPurpose Spotlight: David Jackson, Founder and Chairman of Hudson Contract

Our #LeadingWithPurpose Spotlight interview series sees organisational leaders explain what leading with purpose means to them and how they strive to make their organisation a force for good in society.

In this episode, read how David Jackson, Founder and Chairman of Hudson Contract, does so.

David, what inspires you personally to lead with purpose? 

 A level of business success has allowed me to put something back into the community and local area where I grew up. For me, that is an important priority.

Having lived in Bridlington, East Yorkshire for all but my apprenticeship years, I am fully aware of the effect of living on the edge of the country in a seaside town. Investment in industry is significantly lower than in cities served by good infrastructure. The town is, shall we say, “a little tired” by some measures and business opportunities limited by its ageing population.

So I can see first-hand the need to support young people in getting a start to a career and enhanced life skills.

At 17, I left home to take up an apprenticeship as a draughtsman based in Leeds. A very decent firm gave me encouragement, very good training and developed my work skills. The experience gave me a confident and self-assured start to a career, first in employment and then as a founder and chairman. 

How did you find purpose in your work?  

In my business life, I enjoyed 11 years of employment after my apprenticeship but a three-phase tussle with Hodgkin lymphoma ended with my forming the first of five companies in the construction sector.

Groundworks, bespoke house-building, an agency for construction trades and a self-build costing service were four of the five. All four businesses led to Hudson Contract being formed to meet a specific need identified by a construction boss.

Founded in 1996, Hudson has proved successful by simplifying the increasingly complex issues of tax and employment law for construction SMEs, the lifeblood of our industry. Hudson supplies business services to more than 2,600 clients, ranging from specialist subcontractors to major contractors, and engages more than 70,000 subcontractors annually.

Beyond business operations, Hudson remains deeply involved in the local community, promoting positive perceptions of the construction industry.  

Can you share a specific example of an initiative or project that made a significant impact?  

Serving an apprenticeship sets up young people for success. As a successful company founded and led by former apprentices, including managing director Ian Anfield, Hudson has a responsibility to invest in the next generation.

Inspired by a local newspaper advert from an enthusiastic teenager desperately seeking an apprenticeship in our hometown, we launched our sponsorship scheme for apprentices in Bridlington and the surrounding area. The approach is very simple and operates with minimum fuss: we pay £50 per week towards the wages of an apprentice during their first year.

Since launch, we have sponsored more than 260 young people. The scheme has become the flagship of the Hudson Foundation, which unites our efforts to create opportunities for young people to learn trade skills, develop self-confidence through participation in sport and the arts and get a good start in life.

Additionally, the foundation supports families in need and provides a voice for self-employment in construction. To date, our approach has integrated over 3,840 individuals into healthy pursuits, revitalising communities.