Community and Social Sustainability
Positive community impact and social sustainability
What we do today builds a legacy for future generations. As industry leaders, we strive to transform the construction sector for good through the impact we have on people and communities. We are delivering safe and sustainable community housing for families and whanau to thrive. We are building state-of-the-art educational facilities for people to learn and grow. We are pioneering innovative civic facilities so that communities can come together. We are constructing commercial buildings for businesses to operate and prosper.
Supporting local economies
Southbase are committed to contributing to local economies by employing local people, and working with SMEs. In 2024 over 85% of our supply chain was made up of small to medium sized businesses, and a significant portion of those were from within the same region as the project was located
Upstream partnership
Upstream is a charity that partners with businesses to generate donations through their spend. When Upstream Buyers (like Southbase) choose Upstream Suppliers, a portion of the money exchanged for goods and services is donated to Upstream, who distributes it to organisations that support youth mental health. Over the past few years, our partnership with Upstream has generated over $31K
Communities, and the individuals in them, are at the heart of everything we do and generating social value is a key goal.
We have tailored our community engagement, health and well-being, and learning strategies to suit individual projects. We recognise that different sectors, clients, geographies, and social demographics require a refined approach to creating the greatest impact and legacies. This has seen us provide the initiatives detailed right, as well as deepen partnerships with charities and non-profit organisations.
Other ways we support our communities
Work experience for ARA (Christchurch) and Massey University (Auckland) students: This includes site tours for local high school students to introduce them to the many and varied career opportunities available within New Zealand’s construction industry. We also sponsor a number of schools and community organisations. In 2021 we introduced a ‘Determined to Deliver’ Scholarship programme with a number of our partner schools. This is in line with the MOE Broader Outcomes Initiatives and provides a lasting legacy to the schools and communities we work with.
Community initiatives
The Southbase team shows their support for people and communities by often taking part in charity sports events like fun runs, and local nature clean-ups and working groups.