The Client  

With its headquarters in Yeovil, Bradfords Building Supplies has been trading since 1770 and is one of the largest independent Builders Merchants in the UK. It has 44 branches throughout the South West, Herefordshire and Worcestershire and employs over 800 staff.  

A core pillar of Bradfords’ overall strategy is the concept of ‘Building Sustainable Communities’, which encompasses everything it does to support each of its teams, wider stakeholders and the local communities in which it operates. Since the latter part of 2020, a big part of this has been its efforts to lead the merchants’ sector – and help the South West’s construction industry and communities – in embracing the changes needed to support the UK government drive to decarbonise.  

The Challenge

Support Bradfords in actively stepping up its efforts to play a leading role in supporting the region’s construction sector in making the changes needed to achieve the UK’s clean energy transition.    

Knowing that 90% of carbon is embodied during manufacture of materials or in-use once a building is complete, development of its sustainability strategy has focused on how Bradfords influences up and down the supply chain to achieve maximum impact.  

Recognising it’s on the same journey as everyone else, and still learning what is possible around integrating efficient and renewable solutions, Bradfords’ PR strategy would need to play a lead role in helping the organisation to put a stake in the ground for the industry.  

Our brief was to support Bradfords with its extensive engagement and education programme for its teams, customers and suppliers, which is currently afoot.  

The Solution

Activity to date has included:  

• Providing counsel and the development of key messaging to support Bradfords in positioning itself as a business proud of its long heritage but at the same time, progressive and innovative in its approach to environmental sustainability.
• Development of strategic PR plans and social media activity to support local communications and industry stakeholder endorsement.
• Identify and secure comment, interview, and profile opportunities for senior management within the regional, vertical, business and trade press.
• An extensive stakeholder audit mapping exercise to identify individuals and groups across the South West with a focus on providing training and support to companies in the construction sector in environmental sustainability.
• Engaging with industry stakeholders, trade bodies and other sustainability organisations to begin gathering support and opportunities for collaboration.
• Supporting the creation and organisation of the first ‘Bradfords: Building Sustainable Communities' event.

The Results  

• 142 individuals and groups were identified as part of the audit and stakeholder mapping exercise, including local MPs and councillors for all branch locations, as well as colleges and universities, and housing groups and organisations. Over 150 letters were then issued to express Bradfords’ sustainable objectives and drive attendance at the Building Sustainable Communities event. Outreach also resulted in securing a number of 1-2-1 meetings with MPs.
• Over 150 people attended the Building Sustainable Communities event at Somerset County Cricket Club.
• In creating an open forum for discussion with its event, a number of conversations and avenues have also since opened up with Bradfords’ supply chain and local training establishments towards a higher level of collaboration as part of the strategy’s next phase.
• Top tier media coverage was secured across regional, broadcast and trade titles around Bradfords’ sustainability initiatives, industry thought leadership and the event.
• Targeted social media support resulted in Bradfords gaining 935 new followers on LinkedIn since the beginning of the year, and over 100,000 post views.