© Nick Upton
Beyond broadband: delivering social value alongside digital connectivity
The Wildlife Trusts are working with CityFibre – the UK’s largest independent full fibre infrastructure platform – to bring both social value and digital connectivity to communities, as part of a four year programme.
As well as the millions of premises already served, CityFibre is busy transforming the internet connections for over 1.3 million premises under Project Gigabit; the UK government’s programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband.
CityFibre’s Project Gigabit responsibilities are about more than delivering fibre connections capable of multi-gigabit speeds though. Public sector contracts like these fall under the Social Value Act, which means providers must commit to delivering deeper benefits for local people and places.
For CityFibre, Project Gigabit’s social value requirements are consistent with its established approach. The company’s digital infrastructure contributes to community connectivity and opportunity, and its network-building efforts have included a focus on delivering broader social value.
How The Wildlife Trusts facilitate social value projects
With a unique federated structure and roots in local communities, The Wildlife Trusts - coordinated centrally by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) - are ideally placed to match CityFibre’s infrastructure rollout with projects that deliver meaningful, place-based impact. This partnership spans six local Wildlife Trusts: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire (BCN) Wildlife Trust, Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Kent Wildlife Trust, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
In each of these areas, CityFibre is helping to fund RSWT’s Team Wilder community biodiversity programme. The funding supports long-term community engagement and builds on the success of long running Wildlife Trust engagements. Through it, Trusts are better able to reach underrepresented groups, form partnerships with schools, youth clubs and care homes, and help communities shape their own local nature recovery plans.
© Richard Osbourne
Embedding social value to meet public procurement criteria
Under the Social Value Act, public bodies must consider how the services they commission improve the wellbeing of local communities. For businesses bidding for public contracts, demonstrating clear, locally relevant social value is essential to stand out to public sector buyers.
Delivering social value with CityFibre
A key strength of this partnership is its flexibility, enabling Wildlife Trusts to quickly respond to local needs and tailor their approach to each community. By funding dedicated staff, CityFibre is helping these Wildlife Trusts scale their work, develop skills within communities, and create lasting social value impact. This includes:
Expanding local engagement through community organisers who support inclusive decision-making and make sure all voices are heard, especially those historically marginalised. At Warwickshire Wildlife Trust the Community Organiser conducted listening sessions in local centres, enabling residents to shape nature walks and express community needs.
Training and upskilling local people in conservation, habitat restoration, and sustainable practices, often in collaboration with local experts. One example is the SEND forest school group, which, supported by BCN Wildlife Trust, has learned hedge laying and built bird boxes, boosting the confidence and environmental skills of participants.
Community-led planning to create nature recovery plans that reflect the unique needs, values, and priorities of each place. An exciting example of this is the bespoke planning map co-designed with Attleborough Wildlife Watchers and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s GIS officer that is now helping the group plan improvements based on local priorities.
Building new partnerships with like-minded organisations, local councils, social enterprises, and charities to share knowledge and build momentum. For example, Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust has supported wellbeing and community integration by partnering with The Race Equality Centre to run wildlife gardening workshops for newly arrived residents.
Empowering advocacy, helping residents to speak up for nature in their area, engage with decision-makers, and influence local policy. A great example of this is BCN Wildlife Trust helping Chelveston-cum-Caldecott’s environment group engage their local MP and Anglian Water about storm overflow concerns.
One example of social value in action comes from Leicestershire Wildlife Trust, where work in Leicester - facilitated by the Nextdoor Nature programme - has already strengthened community connections and opened new possibilities for local nature action. With further support, this model can be expanded to more areas, growing its reach and deepening its impact.
A flexible, replicable model for lasting social value
The partnership with CityFibre demonstrates how social value can be delivered, not just as an add-on, but as a core part of infrastructure projects. In this case, ensuring that people in their homes are not only better connected to the internet, but to the communities they live in and to the nature that surrounds them.
To find out more about The Wildlife Trusts social value partnerships, see our dedicated page here, or send an enquiry here.
