Liverpool City Council

When Liverpool City Council chose to renew its contract with us for its connectivity, the team weren’t just looking for a network provider. They wanted a partner that would help bring meaningful social value to the city.

From day one we’ve been working together to support local people, investing in skills development and giving back to the community in ways that matter.

Our renewed contract with the council started with a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) and internet connectivity – a vital upgrade for its digital infrastructure.

But what set us apart was our commitment to delivering local social impact on top.

We ringfenced time, funding and resources to focus on three key areas:

1. Employment and skills
2. Community volunteering
3. Digital inclusion

As a large employer, we pay into the government’s apprenticeship levy.

But we don’t stop there. We gift some of our unspent levy to organisations that need it most. In the case of our work with Liverpool City Council, we did just that.

We worked closely with the team to identify local organisations in need of support, such as those working in sectors like social care and early years education.

By gifting almost £80,000 in apprenticeship levy, we’ve helped 14 people train for qualifications that will build their careers and support vital services in the region.

That includes:

• Adult social care workers
• Children, young people and families managers and practitioners
• Early years educators

We’ve partnered with The School Outreach Company to deliver career workshops in 10 schools across Liverpool.

These in-person sessions are tailored to each school’s needs, from mock interviews and CV writing to exploring jobs in science, technology and telecoms.

It’s all about making career paths visible to children who might not otherwise see them. For many students, this is their first real-world exposure to a national employer and the chance to hear from real people in real jobs.

The workshops promote more than just us – they open doors to opportunities beyond university such as apprenticeships and challenge assumptions about who belongs in tech.

As part of the council’s new contract, we committed to 225 hours of local volunteering.

One of the most rewarding initiatives has been our work with Incredible Edible, a grassroots project that grows food for the local community while offering therapeutic horticulture and wellbeing support.

Nine of our volunteers have already spent 54 hours doing everything from weeding and planting to painting and composting.

What’s made our social value programme with Liverpool City Council such a success isn’t just the hours volunteered or the funding transferred – it’s the teamwork behind it.

We’ve worked hand-in-hand with the council’s social value team from the start, identifying local priorities and connecting with the right partners.

From digital skills to food clubs, we’ve tailored support to what the community actually needs.

The council wants to drive even greater outcomes for its neighbourhoods and residents that are closely aligned with its priorities and the evolving needs of its communities.

This means deepening stakeholder engagement, co-producing solutions with its partners and fostering stronger collaboration across the supply chain.

And we’re just getting started.

The seeds we’ve planted in Liverpool (quite literally in some cases) are part of a bigger, growing commitment to doing business the right way.

Whether it’s through digital inclusion, skills funding or local volunteering, we’ll keep showing up and playing our part.

We can tailor connectivity solutions to fit your needs. Call us on 0800 064 3790 and let’s have a conversation.