Spectra is a
multi-disciplinary
social impact
company.
Spectra is a
multi-disciplinary
social impact
company.
intersection of the private,
public and charity sectors,
delivering social value initiatives
that address society’s
most pressing challenges
Founded
in Wolverhampton
in 2014...
Spectra was built on the principles of restorative practice, helping young people build strong relationships, resolve conflict, and repair harm when it occurs.
Our team brings this ethos into everything we do. With backgrounds spanning law, technology, marketing, education, and local government leadership, we combine diverse expertise with a shared commitment: creating opportunities and driving lasting change for young people and communities.
We Are a Certified B Corporation
As a certified B Corp, we’re part of a global community of nearly 10,000 businesses meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance. Together, we’re helping to lead a worldwide movement for an economy that is inclusive, equitable, and regenerative.
Learn more about B Corps and the organisations involved at bcorporation.net.
Our two core offerings are Spectra Studio and Spectra Public.
Spectra Public
We deliver end-to-end programmes for central and local government. From audience and stakeholder insight to recruitment, frontline service delivery, promotion, and impact reporting, we manage the full journey from concept to design to results.
Spectra Studio
We provide consultancy for organisations that want to embed purpose into their work. Our services include ESG strategy and policy development. Project delivery and insight analysis,helping businesses turn intent into measurable social value.
What is ‘Social Value’?
Social value is about ensuring that public spending and private investment create benefits beyond the immediate service delivered. It’s a commitment to embedding opportunities for young people, building skills, supporting fair work, and strengthening communities.
‘One in a Million’ is our flagship social value initiative supported by Lloyds Banking Group, the Department for Education and the Cabinet Office ensuring that for every £1 million in public contracts, one meaningful opportunity is created for a young person.
Components of the Social Value Consulting Framework
Engagement Activities:
Bringing together senior leaders from HR, Social Value, EDI and Procurement to define shared goals, responsibilities, and success measures across participating employers.
Interactive sessions with those that have lived-experience of disadvantage, mentors, coaches and support providers — uncovering barriers and support needs.
Targeted discussions with industries linked to regional strengths (e.g. Health & Social Care, Logistics, Green Tech) to identify sector-led opportunities.
Collaborative workshops to map entry-level roles, wraparound support, and clear place-based career pathways shaped to local labour market needs.
Systems Thinking Approach
Mapping the relationships between employers, support services, education providers and care leavers to reveal leverage points and feedback loops that can drive long-term change.
Assessing how targeted interventions can trigger positive chain reactions improving individual outcomes, strengthening communities and shifting organisational culture.
Going beyond surface barriers to uncover the cultural, structural and procedural issues within organisations that block successful transitions.
“
Care leavers bring resilience, talent and real value to the workplace yet too often face barriers that limit their potential. With government spending over £350bn a year on procurement, we have a powerful opportunity to change that. I encourage all strategic suppliers to sign the Care Leaver Covenant and help open doors for young people at a critical moment in their lives.
”
UK Government Chief Commercial Officer
Our work in numbers
Some of our collaborators
Some of our projects
We created a ‘Purpose Playbook’ with Nike – the first of its kind - to help build purpose into all sneaker-related activations.
Spectra created Nike’s first-ever Purpose Playbook a universal planning tool to embed purpose into every sneaker-related activation. Nike wanted to ensure that as sneaker culture continues to grow, purpose sits at the heart of campaigns and community activity. We worked with Nike to design the Playbook, gathering insights and contributions that now guide teams across EMEA.
- Contributions from 6 leading thinkers spanning academia, sustainability, politics, governance and fashion.
- Input from 6 cultural influencers across London, Paris and Berlin.
- Playbook rolled out to Nike communications teams in the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Italy.
We deliver central government's major care leaver support programme, the Care Leaver Covenant (funded by the Dept. for Education)
The Department for Education (DfE) is the government department responsible for children’s social care, which includes policy relating to children-in-care and ‘care leavers’ (young people who’ve spent time in the care).
Since 2018, Spectra has delivered the government’s flagship programme for Care Leavers, funded by the Department for Education. The Covenant connects businesses, public services, and charities to create real opportunities for young people leaving care — helping them step into independent, meaningful adult lives.
- 590+ organisations signed, from ITV to Thames Water to Liverpool FC Foundation
- Thousands of opportunities created nationwide.
- 7,500+ young people registered on the Covenant portal, receiving regular support and opportunities.
We are tackling digital poverty with Sky – providing free equipment, skills and entertainment to vulnerable young people across the country.
We partnered with Sky to provide free equipment, broadband, and skills training to young people leaving care — tackling digital poverty and isolation head-on. Spectra’s role has been to work with local government to identify young people for the programme and guide them through the 12–18-month journey, ensuring they get the most from their devices and interactions with Sky.
- Partnering with local authorities nationwide, from Dorset to Gateshead.
- 150 care leavers received brand-new laptops and 18 months of free Sky Broadband in Year 1.
- Access to exclusive Sky events and opportunities to build confidence and skills.
Spectra original content
Independence
In 2022, we executive produced Independence, a powerful debut feature from director Karl Jackson. The film follows Amba, played by Joanna Rutagambwa, who at 18 leaves the care system and moves into her first home alone — confronting the harsh “care cliff” of sudden independence.
Produced by Karl Jackson’s Mirror Door and executive produced by Spectra’s Matthew Gordon alongside Aaliah Simpson at the British Film Institute, Independence shines a stark light on the realities facing young people leaving care.
Empire Reflecting Back
We welcomed award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera back to Wolverhampton for a town hall event exploring the legacies of empire in modern Britain.
Drawing on his book Empireland and Channel 4 series Empire State of Mind, Sathnam joined a panel of leading thinkers to debate how imperialism continues to shape society. The event placed particular focus on the experiences and reflections of Wolverhampton’s Black and Asian communities.
Empathy Summit
The Empathy Summit challenged leaders in education and business to show greater empathy toward care leavers — ensuring vulnerable young people are given the opportunities to build healthy, successful lives.
Inspired by Sir Peter Bazalgette’s, The Empathy Instinct, the event featured powerful contributions from poet and author Lemn Sissay MBE, Julie Towers (Managing Director of Penna), and many other leading voices.
Through music, film, poetry, and panel discussions, the Summit explored pioneering diversity and inclusion initiatives from universities, employers, and public bodies, alongside government perspectives on shaping future policy for care leavers.
The Resilient Spirit Tour
Inspired by Ken Pryce’s Endless Pressure, this two-day tour celebrates the struggles, achievements, and contributions of the Windrush community. Through four strands, it tells a story of resilience and diversity.
The tour concludes with the unveiling of portraits of Stuart Hall and Ian Gordon by US artist Imar Lyman [Hutchins], highlighting the shared struggles of Black Americans and Windrush descendants.
A tribute to resilience, unity, and the enduring spirit of Windrush.
Join us on this transformative journey as we celebrate the Windrush community’s enduring strength and indomitable spirit.
Inclusive Employment Summit
Our Inclusive Employment Summit brought together policymakers, business leaders, and care-experienced young people for the launch of Spectra’s first standalone Inclusive
Employment Toolkit — a practical guide to help organisations recruit and support care leavers and other under-served communities.
Hosted by TV presenter Anna Richardson, the Summit featured contributions from Dame Sharon White, Sir Peter Bazalgette, and Amazon’s EU Workforce Director Graham Allison.
Developed in partnership with the Department for Education, the Toolkit is available on the Care Leaver Covenant website. It includes insights and practical advice from the John Lewis Partnership, Sky, Amazon, GMI Construction, and the UK Civil Service.
What our collaborators say
Connect with us!
West Midlands
Located in:
The Chubb Buildings
38-39 Fryer ST,
WV1 1HT
London
Located in:
Canopi Building
7-14 Great Dover Street
SE1 4YR
Join us
careers@spectraconnect.co.uk
