Service impact

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Our experience, capability and scale enable us to deliver and positively impact service standards, cost efficiencies and the policy outcomes that governments want.

How we have performed

We have made significant progress in developing our approach to consistently measure our impact through the services we deliver. We have defined those UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) that are relevant to our operations and identified appropriate indicators that can be used to track each of these. Many of these are currently tracked as part of our ESG reporting and can be found in our 2023 Data Book. We are putting in processes to capture those we have identified but do not currently consistently track across our operations. Developing this will be a focus for 2024.

Transforming public service sectors

In 2023, Serco Middle East launched a new service, Advisory with Purpose (AwP) which is developing an expanding portfolio of projects in KSA, in support of the Saudi Vision 2030, a strategic framework for diversifying the KSA economy and transforming public service sectors. This includes projects integral to public realm improvement and urban regeneration for the ancient city of Al ‘Ula, such as reducing light pollution, enabling internet access for local communities, and design-led municipal improvement. Working onsite with our customer, our colleagues are helping transform Al ‘Ula into a world-class destination whilst raising the bar for sustainability and environmental responsibility. Meanwhile, our ExperienceLab colleagues have been helping to transform citizen experience in Saudi Arabia. Find out more.

Recognition

Two Merseyrail employees have been recognised by the UK Railway Benevolent Fund’s Heart of Gold Awards. Ronnie Hardman, who recently retired after 46 years was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work to support colleagues. Hannah Tabassum received the Rising Star of the Year Award for her efforts as Merseyrail’s Employee Experience Manager. Jane English, People Director at Merseyrail, said: "Both Ronnie and Hannah are fantastic examples of all we hope to achieve as a business. Their drive and commitment to support and care for their colleagues as they deliver a train service to the people of the Liverpool City Region is fantastic to see."

Social value and outcomes

To help our UK Government Contracts to understand the scale of our impact and to meet UK Government requirements around delivery of 'Social Value', we are using a Social Value Portal and the National Themes, Outcomes and Measures (TOMs) Framework to attribute proxy financial values for key Social Value activities. To date, 19 Serco Contracts are using the portal and have recorded £43.8m proxy value of social impact, totalling a 5.6% Social Value Added (Social Value delivered relative to Total Contract Value). This social impact has been delivered across several Social Value themes including Local Economic Value through employment (£34.3m), Apprenticeships (£4.4m), spend with Voluntary, Community or Social Enterprises (VCSEs) (£414k) and volunteering (1,769 hours). The intent is to roll this out to all strategic Contracts across the UK in 2024. To support Social Value awareness and culture, we have implemented a Social Value Academy, with the intention of increasing understanding of Social Value, and the Social Value Portal.

In 2023, our Restart Scheme colleagues serving West Central England received the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce 'Excellence in Responsible Business' Award. This recognised all the ways in which they have consistently and continuously delivered positive social outcomes at individual and community levels while helping the long-term unemployed overcome employability barriers and find their way back into work. In the first year of service delivery, our West Central England Restart Scheme colleagues supported 33,000 people on their journey back into work. Their community-centric efforts have included cost-of-living roadshows and resources, 'Age-Friendly Employer Pledge' and 'Employer Domestic Abuse Covenant' action, sign language classes and workshops for disadvantaged students.

Piloting technology

In hospitals, wheelchairs must be available and serviceable constantly, yet associated routine costs are significant so we found a new type of wheelchair, innovatively designed for longevity, optimal performance and infection control, whilst being cheaper to operate than traditional models. We are also piloting technology to track wheelchairs, so we can find, claim and collect them whenever misplaced. Find out more.

Providing outstanding service

Our European immigration colleagues at Serco ORS, have made a difference through their response to the immigration crisis. In the first half of 2023, more than half a million people applied for asylum in Europe, marking a 28% increase on 2022. Our teams in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy provided vital support to help public authorities cope with the increase. We grew capacity in existing facilities and opened more than a dozen new centres, some on a temporary basis and at short notice. In Switzerland alone, we have successfully recruited more than 1,000 additional colleagues to help look after people at this very difficult time in their lives.

In 2023, our UK Customer Service teams supporting Peterborough City Council and Lincolnshire County Council were notified that they had each retained their 'Customer Service Excellence' accreditation – a national government standard assessing and recognising organisations with outstanding performance in customer service. For our Peterborough colleagues, this marked the 14th year in a row. In both locations, our colleagues are responsible for providing customer service for citizens across a wide range of local government functions and support services. Independent assessors praised our teams for their experience and insight and working hard to meet demands.

Space mission success

Our teams have celebrated two successful space missions this year led by our customers, the European Space Agency and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites: 'JUICE' and 'EUCLID'. We played a key role at ESAC (Spain), ESOC (Germany), and ESA-ESTEC (Netherlands), supporting mission development, logistics and operations. The latest mission, EUCLID, embarked on a six-year journey to explore the evolution of the dark universe, promising to revolutionise our understanding of the cosmos. It will survey one-third of the sky, observing billions of galaxies and creating the most extensive 3D map of the universe to date.

Pioneering design work

In 2023, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) approved designs by Serco colleagues for a wholly new breed of unmanned surface vessel (USV). This followed 33 months of intensive industry-wide collaboration and pioneering design work by our No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) team. Working with innovators such as Serco, DARPA transforms revolutionary concepts into pivotal capabilities for national security.

Access to lower-cost health insurance

Since 2013, on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Serco has delivered the Eligibility Support Program for the US Health Insurance Marketplace, helping American households access lower-cost health insurance.

Helping communities in an emergency

Since 2018, Serco has supported the 'Public Assistance Program' of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, which provides recovery grant assistance to help communities get back on their feet. Across 17 states, our colleagues deliver advisory and technical assistance services supporting debris removal, emergency protective measures and the restoration of public infrastructure. Our team also works with FEMA to help mitigate the evolving impacts of climate change. Find out more.

Psychological healthcare for reservists

We help deliver the Psychological Health Outreach Program for the US Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, giving US Navy and Marine reservists access to psychological healthcare. Serco counsellors can receive thousands of referrals each year, handling cases and incidents with care and empathy – and sometimes making profound differences to people's lives. Find out more.

Collaborating with our customers

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel in Hong Kong handles more than 100,000 cars daily. This alone causes congestion, without the added complexity of toll payments. The introduction of a free flow tolling system whilst speeding up traffic needed to be implemented very carefully. Serco achieved this with months of planning and working closely with our customer.

Supporting those in our care

Through partnership with the service personnel support organisation, BuddyUp Australia, our team at Acacia Prison in Perth have launched a support program for ex-servicemen in their care. Find out more.

Our team at Clarence Correctional Centre in New South Wales, Australia, supported the creation of a new book, The Sun Still Shines, for Father's Day 2023. Written by fathers in custody at the centre, the project was launched in recognition that Father’s Day is a very difficult time for children with incarcerated parents. In collaboration with our rehabilitation partner SHINE for Kids – a non-profit organisation focused on transforming the lives of children and young people who have contact with the criminal justice system – The Sun Still Shines was published to support thousands of children affected by parental incarceration every year.

Saving lives at sea

In September 2023, the Australian Antarctic Division launched a successful emergency operation to recover an expeditioner needing urgent medical attention from Casey Station, Antarctica. Our colleagues, the Antarctic Supply Research Vessel team and crew of RSV Nuyina, supported the mission. Find out more.

In March 2023, a Serco team was at sea in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, when they received a distress call. A recreational yacht with elderly crew had lost power and was taking on water. Our team – nearing the end of a comprehensive programme of vessel trials for the Royal New Zealand Navy – immediately despatched two crew to the rescue. Arriving at the yacht with the coastguard and police, our colleagues took the lead aiding the vessel in distress. All repairs were completed by 10pm and the yacht sent safely home. 24 hours later, our crew celebrated successful completion of their trials and returned to port. Find out more.

What next

To refine and consistently capture our selected impact measures and report our impact.
To implement a consistent methodology for capturing customer satisfaction.
Continue the UK roll out of the Social Value Portal and look at similar systems for other Divisions.