CRL Marks a Year of Measurable Social Impact and Sets Out Its Vision for the Future
Independent audit recognises progress as CRL delivers over £27 million of social value through SMEs, 600 volunteer hours and significant investment in skills and communities.
As part of its commitment to creating lasting benefits beyond the assets it maintains, CRL has achieved a Level 3 – Established rating following an independent Social Value Audit covering July 2024 to June 2025.
Conducted by Social Value Company, the audit awarded CRL a Level 3 – Established maturity rating, recognising significant improvements in governance, reporting and social value delivery across the business. The assessment also identified a clear pathway towards Level 4 – Embedded, where social value is consistently planned, delivered and measured across all projects.
For more than 70 years, CRL has built a reputation for technical excellence and trusted engineering expertise. Today, the company believes its impact should extend beyond the infrastructure it repairs and protects.
"CRL's mission is to provide expert, reliable and sustainable solutions for the repair, protection and maintenance of the country's infrastructure while creating lasting benefits for our people, partners and the communities we serve," said Steve Jones, SHEQ & Business Director.
The audit reviewed CRL's performance against a range of independently verified social value indicators. Highlights from the reporting period include:
- Supporting 8 people from underrepresented groups into employment
- Delivering 354 apprenticeship weeks
- Completing 770 weeks of accredited training
- Awarding £27.4 million in contract value to SMEs
- Directing £646,747 to start-up businesses
- Contributing 600 employee volunteering hours to community projects
- Delivering 81.9 hours of modern slavery awareness training
- Completing 240 hours of environmental education and training
CRL's approach to social value focuses on five key priorities: supporting local businesses, strengthening communities, environmental stewardship, promoting health and wellbeing, and creating pathways into construction through skills and career development.
The company works closely with clients, local authorities and community organisations to ensure social value activity reflects local needs and leaves a positive legacy beyond project completion.
A key part of CRL's progress has been the adoption of the Thrive Framework and Impact Evaluation Standard (IES), providing a robust and transparent approach to measuring and reporting social value. During the audit period, the business established a dedicated social value team, strengthened reporting processes and invested in leadership coaching to build capability across the organisation.
"What stands out about CRL is their willingness to truly own their social value journey," said Anna Koukoullis, Social Impact Coach and Consultant, Social Value Company. "Their leadership team has taken responsibility for building understanding and capability from within the business, creating a strong foundation for long-term impact. Their leadership team has taken responsibility for building understanding and capability from within the business, creating a strong foundation for long-term impact."
The audit confirmed that all reported data was accurate, evidence-based and suitable for public reporting.
"This audit is a testament to how far CRL has come, and we look forward to continuing to support them as they build on these strong foundations," said Chris Morgan, Director, Social Value Company.
About CRL
CRL is the UK's leading specialist contractor in the repair, refurbishment and maintenance of concrete structures and buildings. With more than 70 years of experience, the company delivers engineering-led solutions across highways, water, buildings, marine, rail, heritage and nuclear sectors, operating as both Principal Contractor and specialist subcontractor.
