Construction Management is the highest circulation construction-based publication serving the UK built environment.
People
What if doing good didn’t cost more?
Lisa Farmer OBE Chief executive, Royal British Veterans Enterprise
Social enterprises can deliver the products construction projects need while creating life-changing opportunities for veterans and people with disabilities. Lisa Farmer OBE, chief executive of Royal British Veterans Enterprise, says the challenge now is getting more businesses to recognise the value in their supply chains.
A social enterprise, like one of the sign-making factories RBVE operates, can make a huge difference. Image: RBVE
I’ve watched social value move from an afterthought to a national priority. It’s one of the most encouraging shifts I’ve seen, and I’d like to see it woven into every part of how Britain does business. For any business wondering where to start, the answer might already be all around you.
For years, I’ve seen the good that comes from an unemployed veteran finally securing the right job. Nowhere more so than in RBVE’s social enterprise.
This is not a paywall. Registration allows us to enhance your experience across Construction Management and ensure we deliver you quality editorial content.
Registering also means you can manage your own CPDs, comments, newsletter sign-ups and privacy settings.
RBVE operates three factories across England and Scotland, manufacturing road, rail and commercial signs for clients – including National Highways, Network Rail, Ringway, Amey and Barratt Redrow – for 70 years.
Britain relies on these signs every day. Every project needs them regardless of supplier, but choosing a social enterprise costs nothing extra and delivers far more.
Tirtha, an amputee, has found independence. Image: RBVE
Behind these signs are people like Tirtha and Anton: veterans whose manufacturing careers have provided stability and renewed purpose. They are proof of what happens when social enterprises are embedded into supply chains, with impact reaching far beyond the project itself.
A route to independence
For Tirtha, a fourth-generation Gurkha, it became a route back to independence after a life-changing injury. He served for seven years with the Royal Gurkha Rifles, completing two tours of Afghanistan. In 2010, while clearing an alleyway, he stepped on an improvised explosive device and lost his left leg above the knee. After nearly two years of rehabilitation, he left the army and struggled with loneliness, uncertainty and the loss of the career he loved.
In 2012, Tirtha joined RBVE as part of the sign manufacturing team. He is now a team leader in the signs department, overseeing production, mentoring younger veterans, and helping others make their own transition into civilian employment.
Anton’s journey into RBVE was different. An army veteran from Paisley, he served in the Royal Artillery for seven years, including two tours of Iraq. After sustaining severe chemical burns to his leg during training, he later left the army and experienced mental health challenges linked to his service, eventually being diagnosed with complex PTSD.
After initially doubting himself, Anton applied for a manufacturing traineeship at RBVE’s Scottish factory in 2023. Since then, he has gained experience across manufacturing tasks and completed qualifications in health and safety, fire safety and forklift driving. He is also on course to achieve his NVQ Level 2 in Performing Manufacturing Operations.
Stability of employment
Stability in work changed veteran Anton's life. Image: RBVE
In July 2025, Anton applied for a permanent vacancy and was offered the role. The stability of permanent employment has helped him plan a trip to New York with his son, while his wider contribution to the team includes fundraising for homeless veterans through The Great Tommy Sleep Out.
These stories matter because they demonstrate what social value can really achieve. Our clients buy the products their projects need from a supplier that not only meets commercial requirements but also delivers social value for people and communities.
Across RBVE’s social enterprises, more than 70% of the workforce are veterans and people with disabilities, producing more than 250,000 signs a year while gaining financial sustainability, confidence, qualifications and progression. Together, these contracts generate more than £2.4 million in social value every year within disability employment alone. But what stays with me are the people behind them – and our partners who are helping us reach more of them.
Procurement teams already know how to buy quality and reliability. But ask Tirtha or Anton what RBVE delivers, and they won’t start with signage – they’ll start with the life it’s made possible for them. The question now is whether more sectors are ready to join this national effort of doing good.
