Social Values Statement

Purpose and scope

New Link Consulting (NLC) is a UK-based SME management consultancy delivering advisory and change delivery services to financial services firms, the UK public sector and supranational institutions. This statement sets out the social, economic and environmental value we seek to deliver through our operations, our supply chain, our people and the work we do for clients.

It applies to all NLC personnel and to all engagements, and is supported by our Carbon Reduction Plan, Modern Slavery Policy and our certified management systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO/IEC 20000-1 and ISO/IEC 27001).

We are a small firm, and this statement is written accordingly. The commitments below are deliberately scoped to what we can deliver and evidence with the resources available to us. Where a client requires commitments beyond those set out here, we will agree them individually at bid stage and reflect them in the contract, rather than assert them generically.

How this statement is structured

This statement is organised around the five government missions in the PPN 002 Social Value Model, which applies to above-threshold central government procurement from 1 October 2025. Structuring the statement this way allows commissioning bodies to see directly how our commitments map to the outcomes they will evaluate.

As is to be expected, not every mission carries equal relevance to management consultancy. Where our contribution is limited, we say so and will respond proportionately at contract level rather than overstate our position.

Mission 1: Kick-start economic growth

Outcome 1 - Fair work

• Fair pay. All NLC employees are paid against an external market benchmark, reviewed at least once a year, so that pay remains fair relative to role and market regardless of seniority.

• Transparent terms. Every employee has written terms of engagement, a named line manager, and access to published criteria for progression.

• Cost of working. We recognise the cost of commuting to client site in the South-East of England. Where a role allows, we make it available on a fully remote or hybrid basis, and we take travel and working patterns into account when structuring assignments.

• Modern slavery. Our approach to labour standards in our own workforce and supply chain is set out under Outcome 3 below.

Outcome 2 - Skills for growth

As a consultancy, the most significant skills contribution we make is to the client teams we work alongside. We treat that as a deliverable rather than a by-product.

• Capability transfer to client teams. Where the client wishes, we include a knowledge transfer approach in our delivery plan and provide a documented handover at engagement close, so that capability and documentation remain embedded within the client team rather than decaying once our consultants leave.

• Structured knowledge sharing. On qualifying engagements, and where scope permits, we offer the requisite hours of structured knowledge sharing tailored to specific client staff needs at no additional cost - for example working sessions on regulatory interpretation, data analysis and visualisation, target operating model design or control framework build.

• Funded qualifications. We fund industry-recognised qualifications for permanent employees, subject to relevance to the role and internal approval, and track the proportion of junior staff progressing through certified qualifications each year.

• Access to development. We maintain a central repository of accredited courses so that employees can identify and pursue the certifications relevant to their career, and we pair junior staff with mentors through structured development plans.

Outcome 3 - Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chain

• Prompt payment. We pay suppliers within agreed terms and aim to settle invoices within 30 days, recognising that late payment falls hardest on smaller suppliers.

• SME and VCSE participation. Where we subcontract, we will consider small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprise suppliers alongside larger providers, and record the outcome of that consideration. We cannot commit to a fixed proportion of spend, given the specialist nature and variable volume of our subcontracting.

• Supplier standards. New suppliers confirm at onboarding that they hold environmental and modern slavery policies. We review our supplier base at least annually as part of our ISO management system review.

• Modern slavery. We operate a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking and comply with our obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Where concerns arise, we will investigate and, where appropriate, terminate the relationship.

• Supplier diversity. We intend to develop a more formal approach to engaging minority-owned and diverse businesses. We will confirm the scope and timetable for this by Q2 2027 rather than claim a programme that is not yet in place.

Mission 2: Make Britain a clean energy superpower

Outcome 4 - Sustainable procurement practices

• Net Zero. NLC is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2040. We have used 2023 as our baseline year for measurement and reporting and are in our second full year of reporting.

• Reporting. We publish a Carbon Reduction Plan, reviewed and approved by the partners at least annually and made available on our website. This plan is validated externally by sustainability experts at Neuven Consulting.

• Low-impact operations. We operate digital-first, using reconditioned hardware where practical and electronic back-office documentation, and we manage our environmental performance through our ISO 14001 certified management system.

• Employee participation. Our Sustainability Working Group is open to all employees and provides a route for staff to shape our environmental approach.

• Client alignment. Where a client asks, we will share emissions data relevant to their contract to support their own reporting and reduction targets.

Mission 3: Take back our streets

Outcome 5 - Support the reduction in crime

This mission is less directly relevant to advisory and change delivery services than to contracts with a physical or community footprint, and we will not overstate our contribution. Our substantive connection is through our Risk, Regulation and Financial Crime practice, where we support clients to design and strengthen the control frameworks that detect and prevent financial crime, fraud and economic crime.

Internally, we maintain confidential whistleblowing and reporting channels, and all staff receive training on their obligations in this area. Where a contract makes a wider commitment relevant and proportionate, we will discuss it at bid stage.

Mission 4: Break down barriers to opportunity

Outcome 6 - Employment and training for those facing barriers

•     Geographic inclusion. NLC established ConnexCity, a network of professionals based outside London and the South-East, offering flexible working to experienced people who might otherwise be excluded from these roles by location. We continue to recruit nationally rather than concentrating hiring in the South-East.

•     Reasonable adjustments. We make reasonable adjustments, agreed with the individual, both to support applicants through recruitment and to retain employees who become disabled during their employment - for example through training, equipment or changes to working arrangements.

•     Advertising roles. Where UK-based roles are created for the purpose of performing a public sector contract, we will advertise them on the government's Find a Job service in line with the relevant contract terms.

Outcome 7 - Creating a pipeline of opportunities

•     Outreach and placements. We will offer at least one work experience placement or structured outreach activity each year, subject to capacity and to having suitable supervision available. As a small firm we would rather commit to a modest number and deliver it consistently than set a target we cannot sustain.

•     Early careers. Our BA Kinetics group provides mentoring, peer support and structured touchpoints for junior professionals entering consultancy.

 Mission 5: Build an NHS fit for the future

Outcome 8 - Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing

Consulting is a distributed, client-facing profession, and homeworking can weaken the everyday contact that supports wellbeing. Our approach is to build in deliberate connection.

• Professional touchpoints. Regular meetings with line managers, check-ins with a named Career Coach or Engagement Lead, and formal half-year and end-of-year reviews for permanent employees. Managers with people responsibilities are expected to discuss connection and working patterns with their team members at regular intervals.

• Confidential support. A confidential conversation with a Career Coach or Engagement Lead is available to any employee at any time, at their own initiative, to discuss workload, working arrangements or personal circumstances. Managers are trained to signpost employees to further support where it would help.

• Social connection. A dedicated Social Committee organises NLC-funded events through the year, with a deliberate spread of activity types and locations so that attendance is realistic for staff wherever they are based. Our expenses policy supports employees in arranging in-person meetings with colleagues and clients.

• Employee benefits. Employees have access to benefits supporting health, wellbeing and everyday costs.

NLC maintains a zero-tolerance position on bullying, harassment and discrimination. We are committed to a psychologically safe environment where individuals are treated with dignity and respect, supported by mandatory training and clear, confidential reporting channels.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality of opportunity runs across every mission above rather than sitting under any one of them.

We comply with our obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and keep our policies, recruitment practices and approach to reasonable adjustments under review. No employee or job applicant should receive less favourable treatment, directly or indirectly, on the grounds of a protected characteristic.

We believe a blend of consultants from different backgrounds builds a stronger firm and deeper client relationships, and we attach particular importance to the needs of disabled people. Where absence or performance concerns arise from a disability, these are considered separately from any general absence or performance process, and adjustments are made as appropriate.

Our commitments at a glance

The table below summarises the commitments in this statement. Targets marked in square brackets are to be confirmed. We have kept the list deliberately short: each entry is something we can measure and evidence with current resources.

Governance and assurance

• Ownership. This statement is owned by the New Link Partners, who are accountable to the Board for its delivery.

• Review. The statement and the commitments table are reviewed at least annually, and sooner if procurement policy, our client base or our capacity changes materially. Next scheduled review: August 2027

• Reporting. Performance against the commitments table is reported to the partners annually.

• Contract-level commitments. Social value commitments offered in a tender are agreed at bid stage, are specific to that contract, and are reflected in the contract as terms, key performance indicators or performance indicators as the contracting authority requires. Commitments made in this statement are not automatically extended to individual contracts.

• Assurance. Delivery is supported by our certified management systems and our existing client and people feedback mechanisms, including quarterly structured client feedback.

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