The value we bring

Northern is not just a business, we provide a crucial public service, and take pride in the value this service brings to communities in the North of England. 

It is our ambition to further our social, economic and environmental contribution, for our customers and wider society in the North. 

To achieve this, we have conducted in depth studies into the value we already provide, and where we can further improve this. 

In 2022 we partnered with Atkins to carry out a detailed assessment of the value Northern Brings to the North and the UK as a whole. The report provided us with a quantitative basis for government investment in Northern and found that for every £1 invested in Northern by the government £2.50 of economic value is supported.

We then published our first ever social value study in 2023, to build on our findings and gain an even more detailed understanding of our value. Our 2024 Social Value Report is also now available to view. These reports have helped us evaluate the progress we have made so far, as well as aiding in our identification of suitable next steps, in our mission to increase the value Northern provides to the North of England. 

Our social value reports are a key tool in measuring our progress since the Atkins analysis. They take a more holistic view into what value we bring, and where we can further our contribution. They are able to provide quantitative figures to a range of areas within the business, to demonstrate the level of value we bring. For 2023-24 we contributed £1.2 billion in social value.

In the Future
As well as demonstrating the value Northern provides to the North of England, we are using the findings from both studies to shape our own strategies and those of our partners. We want to actively understand the impacts we have across the North, as well as looking for where we might increase this value.