As a Gold awardee of the Social Value Quality Mark (SVQM), AWW’s work goes beyond aesthetic to foster healthier, more inclusive, and resilient communities.
Whether it’s co-creating with local stakeholders or shaping spaces that support mental and physical wellbeing, AWW’s approach offers a compelling blueprint for others seeking to elevate their impact.
In this interview, we ask Heather Lavis, Associate and Architect, about the principles, partnerships and practices that earned them Gold—and how others can follow suit.
How has applying for SVQM Gold accreditation shaped your approach?
AWW has been on a journey over the last four years, developing our Social Value strategy and setting clear pledges. Since our Silver accreditation, we have focused on integrating Social Value into all areas of the business, but most notably our projects, which as Architects and Interior Designers is where we can have the greatest Social Impact.
In 2024 we became an Employee-Owned Trust which has given all employees greater ownership of the business and created more diverse career pathways and leadership opportunities. Our journey has led us towards our Gold accreditation, which we see as a celebration of this.
Can you share examples of how your work supports mental health, physical wellbeing, or social connection in the communities you serve?
Over the past year we have partnered with two local charities supporting young people, collaborating on mentoring, fundraising, and running a Safer Spaces workshop to explore how design can create safer environments for all.
AWW seeks to support the next generation into the industry. Our partnership with Design West’s award-winning Shape My City programme has helped open doors for 15–18-year-olds who might not otherwise have access to a career in the built environment. For the past three years, we are proud to have delivered a unique interiors-focused workshop as part of this talent accelerator.
As part of our employee wellbeing package we offer everyone a wellbeing voucher to contribute to something that will support their positive mental or physical wellbeing, this often translates to participation in community events.
We are also committed to an extensive work experience programme, hosting students from across our communities. With strong staff engagement, we aim to ensure each student has a positive and inspiring introduction to the world of work.
How do you engage local communities and stakeholders in the design process to ensure spaces foster belonging?
As architects, we never work in isolation – successful projects are built on strong collaboration between community, clients, consultants, and contractors. Similarly, delivering meaningful social value requires a collective effort; all involved have their own way of contributing to a project’s sense of belonging.
A great example of this is the Mary Ward Centre project – a landmark adult learning facility in London. Our Structural Engineer’s ability to analyse the existing structure allowed us to develop a deep retrofit solution, telling a story of transformation, synonymous with the ethos of the Mary Ward Settlement.
Meanwhile, the client’s welcoming approach and belief in their cause for social welfare and lifelong learning led to an extensive engagement programme. We formed new local partnerships during the project that have continued to strengthen over the years.
Through a collaborative design approach, we create buildings that reflect local character and instil that sense of belonging. This not only enhances the design process but ultimately ensures that projects deliver real, long-lasting benefits for the people who live, work and play in them.
How has the process of accreditation influenced your internal culture and stakeholder relationships?
Our team is motivated by our commitment to the social value goals that we set ourselves. We hold ourselves accountable as a business to the way in which we operate environmentally, socially and culturally.
This resonates internally as we evidence that we will deliver against these goals, and therefore seek to live up to our employees’ expectations and ambitions for AWW. Following the pathway from Bronze, through Silver and onto Gold is an active advocacy of this for our employees and external stakeholders.
Which partnerships—whether with local authorities, VCSEs, or developers—have been most effective in amplifying your social value impact?
We view every partnership as vital, recognising that maximising social impact requires collaboration with clients, consultants, and end users.
Recent examples include partnering on a SEND school project to deliver STEM workshops, and running a skill-sharing session with a local charity. On another scheme, we worked with an MEP consultant to carry out post-occupancy analysis, producing a detailed lessons-learned report for building managers.
We also see real value in working with clients who share our commitment to social value. On a recent London church, community, and residential project, we collaborated to develop a social value strategy and calculate the projected impact of the scheme.
What role did leadership and cross-team collaboration play in achieving Gold?
We are creative, curious people. And we know that AWW is shaped by all of us, as everyone brings something different to the table. The Gold accreditation is a communal achievement and involves all areas of the business, as well as our relationships and partnerships.
What advice would you offer to others seeking to embed social value into their work as a core ethos?
For us, understanding our mission statement, and clearly identifying the areas where we could make the greatest impact have enabled us to be strategic in developing our Social Value policies and action plan. We’ve grown our social value by bringing everyone on the journey and recognising the cumulative impact we can have.
