The golden rule of social value delivery on contracts is finding that common thread between your project and the community. But how do you do that when a project is inherently linked to the sensitive themes of death, mortality and grief?
Stepnell had to overcome this exact challenge while building a new mortuary in West Northamptonshire. We look at how their meaningful, relevant social value initiatives were used to deliver positive community impact on this complex project.
A different kind of project
When Stepnell’s Social Value Manager, Natasha Heritage, was tasked with planning a social value programme for a mortuary construction project, she found it challenging at first to find the right initiative. Natasha wanted something that felt relevant to the project itself but also brought a tangible benefit to the local community. With some careful thought and exploration, she came up with the answer: mental wellbeing support.
“Working on the mortuary project really challenged me to think differently about how we approach social value. It wasn’t a space where traditional community initiatives would feel appropriate or sensitive, so I had to dig deeper to find a meaningful connection.
The theme of mental wellbeing emerged quite naturally; death and grief affect us all in some way, and supporting emotional resilience felt like the most authentic and compassionate way to link the project to the wider community. It became about creating positive impact through empathy.” – Natasha Heritage
Mental health at the heart of the strategy
Maintaining the mental health of mortuary staff is particularly important, as they regularly deal with the subject of mortality. To support employee wellbeing at the new mortuary, Stepnell worked across teams to deliver a herb and vegetable garden for the staff to maintain and enjoy. The allotment will give employees the opportunity to take a break, get out in the fresh air and focus on nurturing plant-life.
The staff will also donate the garden’s produce to a local food bank. A simple yet thoughtful idea that extends the social value of the project to the wider community.
Supporting construction worker wellbeing
Natasha’s focus on mental health continued into a second initiative for the mortuary project, this time for the contractors and sub-contractors building the site. Stepnell invited workers to take part in a wellbeing session led by one of its mental health first-aiders. Attendees found the session both welcome and valuable. In an industry facing a mental health crisis, this kind of support could make a real difference if adopted more widely and regularly.
Reflecting on the sessions, Natasha said:
“Seeing how the wellbeing sessions were received by our site teams was really powerful. It reminded me that social value isn’t just about the communities outside the site gates, it’s also about supporting the people who deliver our projects every day. The conversations that followed showed just how needed this kind of support is in construction. If even one person walked away feeling more understood or supported, then that’s a real success in my eyes.”
A survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) found that 60% of construction workers had experienced depression in the last year1.
Building Together, Beyond the Build
While mental health formed the core of Stepnell’s approach, the team also found other ways to make an impact in the local the community, including:
- Running mock interviews to support local people into employment
- Helping primary school children to create a time capsule
- Two Stepnell trainees returning to their former college to give a careers talk.
With multiple strands to this social value programme, teamwork was key. Natasha may have developed the vision, but it required strong collaboration to make it a success: from Project Manager Peter Tombs co-ordinating the garden project, to on-site teams pitching in to build it, willingness from contractors to learn about mental health, and keen volunteers sharing their experiences with the community.
A reminder that a social value plan is only as good as its delivery.
Stepnell helped a local primary school create a
time capsule.
Sensitive Contexts Require Creative Thinking
Delivering social value isn’t always straightforward – especially on sensitive or complex projects. In these scenarios, Natasha shares her top tips for finding the right approach:
1. Lead with empathy. Start by understanding the emotions and sensitivities surrounding the project. Take time to listen to the people who might be affected and think about what would feel appropriate and positive in that context.
2. Find the human connection. Even in the most technical or sensitive projects, there’s always a human element that can guide your approach whether that’s wellbeing, education, or community resilience.
3. Think creatively, but sensitively. When traditional initiatives don’t fit, use creativity to find new ways to add value. Challenge yourself to look beyond the obvious while keeping compassion at the heart of your ideas.
4. Involve your team early. Engage site teams and stakeholders from the beginning, their insights often reveal the most practical and meaningful opportunities for impact.
5. Measure impact, not just activity. It’s easy to tick boxes, but real success comes from knowing your initiatives made a difference. Collect feedback and stories that show the human side of your social value delivery.
Ultimately, Stepnell’s mortuary programme demonstrates that even the most sensitive projects have a golden thread connecting the contract to the community. You may just need a bit of extra creativity and empathy to find it.
- CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 Report: https://www.ciob.org/blog/construction%E2%80%99s-mental-health-crisis-continues-despite-increased-support
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