This measure focuses on enhancing community life and local economic growth through supporting initiatives for local businesses, community projects and job creation.

• We support the Better Business Act https:// betterbusinessact.org/

• Supporting the community

• Lifting up local supply chains

• Pay and wider inequalities are reduced

• Addressing pay and other inequalities

• Increase the access to training opportunities

We will work with local businesses as much as possible, unfortunately much of interactive exhibition making is highly skilled work, and it needs to happen in our York base, however, where possible we endeavour to use local SMEs for services such as ;

• Skip hire

• Transportation

• Accommodation

• Cleaning

• Hospitality

• Using local suppliers

Specialist contractors such as flooring companies and decorating firms.

Care of our environment is at the very heart of Unusual Projects. We even have our very own wildlife garden which we use to try and educate our neighbours and friends on social media about the importance of initiatives such as ‘No Mow May’ for example.

We have extensive knowledge of sustainable design and specification, considering end of life planning (recycling, reuse), material selection and finish combinations (selecting materials with lower environmental impact in production and use, minimising combinations that compromise recyclability), and seeking to design out or minimise waste, toxins and complexity.

As a manufacturer, we are often directed towards materials and products to use by client and design teams, where we are permitted, we will always suggest more sustainable materials and approaches to our exhibits so this is something we are experienced in.

We focus on micro changes to contribute to a wider global movement of change. Our timber is purchased only from FSC approved suppliers. Our main supplier of wood is an involved supporter of the policies adopted by Forests Forever and a signatory to it recommended policies.

Our designers evaluate materials to ensure we are specifying the most sustainable, durable and suited to the specific application and environment. New products sourced include Terra – MDF. Unlike traditional MDF, Terra Mdf is made using a proprietary blend of recycled plastics and natural fibres that are free from formaldehyde based resins.

We also work closely with other specialist manufacturers and suppliers, including graphic production. We are specifying Palight Re-Nu which is a new product manufactured from 100% collected regrind PVC. This material is also 100% recyclable when it reaches the end of its service life time. We also recommend switching from Foamex to Katz board as a sustainable alternative.

Our Procurement team manage our relationship with Every Can Counts – a not for profit organisation established to help SME recycle drinks cans.

Our workshop managers coordinate with a Leeds based charity called Scrap Stuff. The scheme accepts our off cuts and spares and repurposes them in the creative community, they focus on helping the environment by reusing waste materials from businesses as resources for art and play. - https://scrapstuff.co.uk/

Our other micro changes are internal recycling of waste materials, scrap material donation, drink can recycling, paper recycling, encouraging online meetings rather than travel. More fun changes include our annual sunflower competition which results in the sun flower heads being left for the wildlife in our own Unusual Wild Garden at the workshop HQ.

Representatives of our many internal teams meet twice a year to discuss Sustainability at Unusual Projects, review progress and discuss what we can do better. By involving every team we ensure ‘buy in’ and support of our Company commitment across the wider team.

This measure combines the promotion of diversity and equity in the workplace and community with initiatives aimed at improving physical and mental health.

Unusual Projects is continually striving to shape a diverse and inclusive business which reflects the communities in which we operate and where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.

We want to provide a working environment where everyone has their voice heard, and where the different viewpoints and experiences people bring can improve our business. Building a workplace where everyone belongs is not just morally and ethically the right thing to do, it creates a stronger and healthier workplace and business, and we are fully committed to doing this.

Our strategic objective is to provide a working environment where everyone has their voice heard. It is important that we reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and our inclusive culture champions diversity of thought, background and experience.

In the long term we want to increase the amount of people we employ from underrepresented groups. Our industry traditionally suffers from a lack of gender diversity. In Construction, 11% of employees are women and 16.5% of the workforce is female in Engineering. At Unusual Projects, we are endeavouring to balance the status quo. We are unique in that our company is run by a woman and we actively support women entering our field, supporting positions by making all roles flexible.

We are committed to long-term sustainable change as we look to encourage more women to join and thrive in our industry. We are committed to being transparent with our gender pay gap reporting, offering clear and transparent pay scales for all staff.

Ethnic diversity

Representation of ethnic diversity is an ongoing challenge for Unusual Projects; we reflect our locality. In 2021, census, 92.8% of York residents identified as White, British. This make diverse recruitment more challenging, however, we hope that by continuing to offer an open and inclusive environment we can strengthen our team through diversity of ethnicity and backgrounds.

Enhancing individual and societal health

At Unusual Projects, our focus on improving individual wellbeing is paramount. We prioritise workplace health programs and community health initiatives, recognising their significant contribution to overall societal health. From the initial concept to installation and beyond, we ensure local wellbeing is at the heart of our projects.

Accessible and inclusive exhibitions

Our exhibitions are designed with accessibility at the forefront, allowing vulnerable individuals to access and fully enjoy the experience. These exhibitions aim to inspire independent journeys that enhance health and wellbeing. Thoughtful design empowers vulnerable people, enabling them to explore new opportunities, develop skills, and improve their employment prospects. This approach ensures all users benefit from opportunities, growth, and the realisation of their potential.

Supporting our team

Caring for our team is a top priority at Unusual Projects. Recognising that our team is essential to our success, we have recently trained three team members as Mental Health First Aiders. Their role is to provide specific mental health support where needed, both for our team members and their families. Additionally, we offer free membership to our Employee Assistance Programme, which provides a comprehensive support network with expert advice and compassionate guidance available 24/7. This service covers a wide range of issues and is accessible to all employees and their immediate family members.