In March 2026, Goonvean Group published our first annual Social Impact Report. The report reflects both the achievements and progressive changes made across the Group from 2024 to 2025. It also digs into our shared values, exploring who we are at our core and how our actions embody this.
Katie Ovenden, Matthew Gazzard, and Sandra Sampson reflected on why the Impact Report was created and what it represents.
Katie Ovenden, Head of Group Sustainability
We started this report as an in depth round up of all the positive actions we’ve taken over the past year. It’s easy to lose sight of how far we’ve come in amongst the day to day. The report has provided a fantastic overview of just how big an impact we can have by making tiny changes and establishing a positive culture of care, connection, and courage.
As the report developed, it quickly became clear that this would also be a good way to share our future goals and hold ourselves accountable to achieving them.
Amongst our achievements so far, working with our charities of the year has been particularly successful, and led to a one-year pledge becoming a 5-year partnership. We’ve also been strengthening our commitment to sustainability, with the purchase of certified renewable energy and installation of direct renewable energy contributing to our strategy. We’re also investing in data driven systems to give us full analysis of our consumption and make informed decisions on changes to reduce it.
We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved to date – and mindful that this is just the beginning.
Matthew Gazzard, Group Managing Director
Our first annual Social Impact Report brings together the many initiatives, partnerships, and community-focused efforts we undertook over the past financial year up to September 2025. These efforts were guided by our shared values to be caring, connected, and courageous.
Throughout the year, our teams demonstrated what it means to be truly caring. From employee-led volunteer programmes to meaningful investments in social development, we have continued to focus on making a positive impact.
We have also strengthened the ways in which we remain connected. By collaborating across our businesses, engaging with local partners, and listening to our employees’ needs, we created initiatives that are inclusive, responsive, and sustainable. Our impact is greater because we’re choosing to move forward together.
Alongside this, we have also been courageous: willing to explore new ideas, challenge old assumptions, and take bold steps to support long-term positive change. Whether piloting innovative solutions or committing to ambitious social goals, we’ve shown that progress requires both vision and courage.
This first Social Impact Report is more than a record of activities – it is a testament to the collective passion, integrity, and commitment across the Group. It celebrates our achievements and reaffirms our promise to build a future where business success and social responsibility go hand in hand.
Sandra Sampson, Head of Group Learning and Development
One of the things the Impact Report reflects on is our focus on leadership development. Over the last few years, we’ve embarked on a series of developmental leadership and management programmes, designed to help Goonvean employees become exemplary leaders. We want all our employees to feel they have a future with our businesses where they can progress and develop, exploring opportunities across the whole Group.
It is important to us to create an environment of sustainable and impactful leadership practices. To this end, we developed our Goonvean Way of Leadership. This will enable us to speak a common language that is recognised and understood throughout all levels of the businesses.
It will also help us to nurture, attract, retain and grow our own talent. People are the beating heart of Goonvean and our businesses. The Group is committed to becoming an employer of choice, where people are truly valued, seen and heard.
Goonvean Group Social Impact Report 2024-2025
You can read the first annual Goonvean Group Impact Report here.
