THE SHARD’S PARTNERSHIP WITH GOODPEOPLE HAS PLACED 447 SOUTHWARK RESIDENTS IN EMPLOYMENT
Through its partnership with GoodPeople, The Shard has assisted the employment of 447 previously unemployed Southwark residents since the programme formed in 2013.
GoodPeople Connect is a partnership between The Shard and GoodPeople – a social enterprise business that designs and implements Corporate Social Responsibility programmes to tackle important social issues. The partnership was designed to address Southwark’s employment challenges by empowering its skilled, diverse community to achieve their full career potential through access to masterclasses, events, work placements and jobs.
“ENSURING THAT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE THRIVING IS IMPORTANT FOR US ALL, SO WHAT THE SHARD HAS ACHIEVED SHOWS THAT BUSINESSES CAN BE A FORCE FOR GOOD BY SIMPLY CONDUCTING ‘BUSINESS AS USUAL’. WE’VE SET A NEW STANDARD AND SHOWN HOW LARGE NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE CAN DERIVE LIFE-CHANGING BENEFITS FROM LARGE-SCALE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENTS AND CONTRIBUTE ENORMOUS VALUE TO THEIR EMPLOYER’S BUSINESS.”
Richard Tyrie
GoodPeople
Since 2013, the partnership has assisted 447 local residents into work in over 200 companies. Almost 100 candidates have been placed in roles with various occupiers in The Shard itself, including The View from The Shard, Shangri-La hotel, aqua shard and Hutong restaurants, Tiffany & Co., Warwick Business School, and numerous roles within The Shard’s IT infrastructure and principal housekeeping teams.
“SOUTHWARK IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PLACES IN LONDON FOR DEVELOPMENT AND REGENERATION AT THE MOMENT. FOR SOUTHWARK, THE SHARD IS MORE THAN A TALL BUILDING – IT HAS BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE REGENERATION OF THE LONDON BRIDGE AREA, BRINGING JOBS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE AND KICK-STARTING OTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.”
Cllr Peter John
Leader of Southwark Council
The landmark figure means that The Shard has fulfilled and surpassed its S106 employment target of creating 400 jobs to support the London Bridge area.
“FROM THE OUTSET WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THE SHARD WILL MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO ITS SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. GOODPEOPLE HAS A REFRESHING AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO PLACING CANDIDATES INTO EMPLOYMENT BY SEEING THEIR POTENTIAL AND SEEKING TO DEVELOP AND MENTOR THEM IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS.”
Michael Baker
CEO, REM, asset and property manager for The Shard
“THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT REAL, POSITIVE IMPACTS ON THE LIVES OF SOUTHWARK RESIDENTS AND WE CAN CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THIS PROJECT IN SUPPORTING LOCAL PEOPLE TO ACCESS ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM THE LONDON BRIDGE QUARTER DEVELOPMENT.”
Nick Wolf
Principal Strategy Office, Southwark Council
