Nearly 50 years ago, our former Chairman Peter Willmott envisioned Willmott Dixon as more than just a construction company.
Ahead of the times, Peter believed we had a responsibility to make society better, beyond just delivering buildings for our customers. He believed that we have a responsibility to positively impact society, a philosophy that has become a core part of our identity.
Peter expressed this clearly in the 1978 report and accounts, stating: “It is easy for the company to concentrate solely on its proclaimed activity, with little or no reference to the environment and society of which it forms a part. At Willmotts we have, for a long time, recognised our responsibility to help wherever the advice or services of our employees can be of use. To this end, we provide aid, not only in financial terms, but also in the service of our employees to many organisations.”
Peter sadly passed away in January 2024, but his vision and the principle of ‘purpose beyond profit’ are deeply embedded in our company culture and reflected in the way we work.
In honour of Peter Willmott’s lasting legacy and his commitment to purpose-driven business, the Willmott Dixon Foundation has been renamed the Peter Willmott Foundation.
Over the years, the Foundation has donated more than £1.3 million to good causes, with 80,000 hours of our people's time also volunteered to support thousands of people and hundreds of community projects. Last year, our people raised over £74k for charities through the Foundation.
The Peter Willmott Foundation - Our Purpose
“The Peter Willmott Foundation supports the fundraising efforts of the people within Willmott Dixon by enhancing the funds they raise to support charities in the communities in which we work, helping individuals overcome barriers and achieve their potential.”
Core principles of the Peter Willmott Foundation:
- Alignment with Peter Willmott’s Vision: The actions we take and the grants we allocate make will reflect Peter Willmott's values, focusing on community betterment.
- Enablement: We’ll prioritise empowering those facing barriers—whether related to employment, self-sufficiency, physical or mental health, or situational challenges.
- Support for Small Charities: We want to support those organisations that make a difference close to the communities where we work and live so will prioritise local organisations with a direct, measurable impact.
Social Value and Sustainability
The Peter Willmott Foundation operates independently of Willmott Dixon’s Building Lives programmes with a focus on charitable giving. Social value creation in our local communities remains a priority and continues in collaboration with our customers across the company.
Read more about our approach to sustainability and social value here.
Through the work of the Peter Willmott Foundation (formerly the Willmott Dixon Foundation), we have:
- Been awarded the King's Award for Sustainable Development (2024) for our efforts to reduce our impact on our changing climate.
- Been awarded the King's Award for Promoting Opportunity (2023) for our work to enhance the life opportunities of others (celebrated by our Interiors team, below).
- Been awarded the Queen's Award for Sustainable Development (2024 and 2019) for our role in preserving the environment and enhancing society's wellbeing.
- Been awarded the Queen's Awards for Enterprise (2018), where we were only one of six companies to achieve this accolade in the category ‘Promoting Opportunity’ through social mobility.
- The Sunday Times Best Companies special award for ‘Giving Back’ in 2019 (between 2018-2020 we were named as a top 5 employer)
- Between 2011-2020 the Foundation made it possible to enhance the life chances of 10,000 young people - a target we hit 19 months early.
- Moved from ad-hoc delivery to programmes of activities that are more efficient to deliver whilst having greater impact.
“Our purpose goes beyond profit. Creating value for our communities is something we passionately believe in, and we strive to constantly find new ways to improve social mobility in communities local to our projects and contracts. As a privately-owned company, being a positive force to deliver social cohesion and provide life-long opportunities for people is important for Willmott Dixon, especially for myself as the fifth generation to lead the company. I am proud of the difference we make through the fantastic efforts of our people.”
Rick Willmott, executive chairman.