Leaving a legacy beyond numbers
One attendee said: “The adage of what gets measured gets managed holds true on both fronts. The sophistication of carbon reduction measurements is increasing and the various calculators used to quantify social value are important too.
Another agreed: “We need to get better at telling the human stories – the 'so what' – behind lots of the noteworthy initiatives going on in the built environment.It is easy to become focused on the numbers because they’re evaluated for KPIs, but we collectively need to capture the qualitative benefits too.”
One idea which received universal backing was for a joint training hub, backed by businesses working in the city through the Southampton Pound, which would facilitate job sharing and take some responsibility for adult education.
The goal would be to shape courses around specific business needs, particularly in relation to sustainability.
Key to success would be encouraging the people trained or employed through the hub to form an alumni; to be vocal advocates for the concept of local businesses co-funding and shaping tailored local training and employment opportunities.
Everyone agreed that this initiative would be an exemplar project, and stand testament to the effectiveness of a collaborative, multi-faceted approach by public and private sector to shape a better future.