Seetec has published its 2022 Seetec Group Annual Report, setting out key operational achievements, new contracts secured and progress on the development of its wider social mission. Despite the turbulent external environment and negative economic outlook towards the end of 2022, the employee-owned Seetec Group continued to focus on quality delivery and the pursuit of growth opportunities.
In 2022, the Group supported 101,145 individuals through all of our combined services, helping people to find employment, improve their skills, or to make better life choices following direct lived experience in the criminal justice system.
The Group secured a range of new contracts and pursued a number of business opportunities over the past year. Its Employability and Skills: UK business area secured significant contracts to deliver the National Careers Service in the South West and North West of England. The resilience of key sectors that contribute to economic growth is a priority for the Group’s Training business area, which continues to broaden its portfolio, winning two new contracts with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), one focused on the transport and logistics sector, which is vital in keeping the UK’s supply chains moving. Through its sector-focused strategy, the Training business area was recognised by FE Week as the 2022 transport and logistics apprenticeship provider of the year.
Its Justice and Social Care business area is working on an ambitious growth programme, helping to broaden its portfolio of services to meet gaps in the delivery of family assessments, with a wider goal to support more young people to get the best start in life. The Group’s Employability and Skills: Ireland business area was awarded new National Employment Service (NES) and Local Area Employment Support (LAES) contracts, building on its strong track record of delivering the JobPath employment activation programme.
More broadly, Seetec saw very clearly how the rising cost of living, high inflation levels and increased interest rates have been impacting businesses and people hard. These are problems facing its employee owners, and participants in the communities that Seetec serves across the UK and Ireland. The Group has sought to play its part in the national conversation by, for example, publishing a pamphlet on the cost of living crisis, drawing upon its expertise and knowledge to pose recommendations to the UK Government on ways to ease the burden on those it works with. Its employee owners have also led the way by increasing their volunteering activity to help local charitable groups as the cost of living bites.
In the face of these challenges, the Group’s business areas have continued to deliver an outstanding service to participants in the communities that it serves, whilst focusing on operational delivery to meet the needs of the commissioners and businesses it works closely with. The Group implemented a new strategy in 2022 that is not only focused on growth and working to fulfil its commissioners’ needs, it also makes a commitment to ensuring its commercial and social value priorities are given equal status. This new strategic approach recognises the need to navigate what is anticipated to be a continued negative economic outlook in 2023.
Commenting on the Seetec Group Annual Report, John Baumback, Executive Chairman of the Seetec Group, said: “Each employee owner went the extra mile last year to mobilise new contracts, build capacity for growth and further embed the Group’s commitment to delivering greater social value. 2022 was also focused on positioning the Group to take full advantage of the new opportunities emerging where we already have a footprint and to put in place the right resources to diversify to be able to provide a broader offer to communities. Our growth plan is in place, and we are focused on its implementation.
“Looking ahead in 2023, the Group plans to make some key acquisitions to provide the right footing to accelerate our ambition to enter new markets. There is also a determination to build on our status as an employee-owned business by working to ensure all colleagues have an opportunity to have their say and be an equal partner in the continued success of the Group.”