Hippo has recently appointed Steve Saunders as its first-ever Social Value Lead, a testament to our unwavering commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Steve will spearhead the development and implementation of Hippo’s inaugural Social Value Strategy, reporting to Lara Longhurst (COO).
Our social value strategy is not only crucial in driving our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda, but it will also play a pivotal role in supporting more public sector contracts. The UK government’s Public Procurement Note 06/20 mandates all central government departments and agencies to evaluate social value with a ‘minimum overall weighting of 10%’ of the total procurement.
Our strategy will be centred around four key themes of the Social Value Model:
- Tackling economic inequality.
- Fighting climate change.
- Providing equal opportunity.
- Improving well-being.
Through this approach, we aim to measure our impact towards global sustainability frameworks, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In addition to leading our social value strategy, Steve will work closely with our Hippo Communities to create more volunteering opportunities. He will collaborate with our People Ops function to gather further EDI data and explore new avenues to diversify our workforce and the tech industry at large. Steve will also engage with external partners to establish accessible pathways to tech jobs through targeted Hippo Academies, apprenticeships, and T-Levels. At Hippo, we are dedicated to making a meaningful and positive impact on society, and Steve’s appointment marks an important step towards realising that vision.
Steve said:
“I’m really excited to be a Hippo and can’t wait to get started. It’s great to be joining an organisation with a clear mission, strong values and commitment to sustainability”.
He added,
“I’ve been warmly welcomed by everyone I’ve met so far, and it’s evident that Hippo’s commitment to environmental and social impact is shared by all. The support from the incredible communities has been invaluable, and I’m eager to get started on this meaningful journey.”
At Hippo, we take our responsibility to protect the planet seriously. That’s why we have developed a comprehensive Carbon Reduction Plan, with the goal of achieving Net Zero status by 2025. We are proud to support the UK government’s ambitious target of reaching Net Zero by 2050.
