Road to Logistics reveals £6.50 social return for every £1 invested as new impact report highlights power of inclusive recruitment

New report shows 94% of Road to Logistics learners remain in employment after 12 months as the organisation calls on more employers to rethink how they recruit.

Road to Logistics has published its 2026 Impact & Social Value Report, revealing the significant social and economic impact being created by its employer-led approach to training and recruitment.

Since 2020, the not-for-profit organisation has supported more than 730 people into logistics careers, with 85–90% progressing into sustainable employment and 94% remaining in work after 12 months.

The report also calculates a social return of £6.50 for every £1 invested in Road to Logistics programmes.

But behind the headline figures is a wider story about untapped talent.

Almost a third (32%) of learners supported by Road to Logistics identify as neurodiverse, while 28% come from ethnic minority backgrounds, 20% are ex-offenders, 15% are veterans and 22% are women entering logistics pathways.

Road to Logistics works with employers, government, education providers and community organisations to remove barriers to employment while helping businesses tackle skills shortages and build more diverse, sustainable workforces.

Unlike traditional training models, its programmes are designed around genuine employer demand and real vacancies.

Employers are involved throughout the learner journey, helping shape recruitment, screening and training around the realities of the workplace. Learners then receive continued support after entering employment, helping address some of the challenges that can prevent people from sustaining work.

Jennifer Swain MBE, Managing Director of Road to Logistics, said:

“Social value has to mean more than counting how many people complete a training course.

“For us, the real measure of success is what happens afterwards. Does someone get a job? Are they still there a year later? Have they built financial independence, confidence and a future they can believe in?

“Our 94% retention rate is something I am particularly proud of because it demonstrates that inclusive recruitment doesn't mean compromising on business outcomes. Done properly, it can deliver incredibly loyal, motivated people and help employers access talent they may simply never reach through traditional recruitment.”

The report highlights a number of individual success stories, including people rebuilding their lives following homelessness and imprisonment.

One learner describes joining Road to Logistics after becoming homeless and feeling ready to “give up”. He is now a permanent Sysco employee, reunited with his family, living in his own home and being developed towards a future management position.

Another, Matthew Summers, joined a Road to Logistics HGV programme while at HMP Hollesley Bay. After gaining his professional qualification, Matthew secured employment as an HGV driver with Veolia and is already discussing future career progression.

The report also showcases Road to Logistics' partnership with Sysco, which demonstrates how employers can become part of the entire employment journey.

Rather than simply recruiting at the end of training, the partnership is built around real vacancies and includes employer-designed recruitment and screening, bespoke industry training, workplace insight, assessment and clear routes into employment and career progression.

Laura Nelson, Chief Executive Officer of Road to Logistics, said:

“Road to Logistics has never believed that training alone changes lives. Real change happens when employers, funding partners, government and education providers work together with a shared commitment to investing in people.

“The impact demonstrated in this report is testament to those partnerships and, most importantly, to the learners who have taken the opportunities created and transformed their own futures.”

Road to Logistics is now preparing for the next stage of its growth.

Alongside expanding employer-led logistics programmes across the UK, the organisation is developing new pathways in sectors facing critical skills shortages and working with Suffolk New College to deliver the Suffolk Driver Training Academy.

It has also launched the Road to Logistics Champion Network, bringing together organisations that want to invest in sustainable employment, social value and more inclusive approaches to workforce development.

Jennifer added:

“Talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t.

“We've proved that there is another way to recruit. The next step is to work with more employers who are prepared to look beyond the traditional talent pool and recognise the extraordinary potential that already exists in our communities.

“This report celebrates what has been achieved so far, but for me it is much more about what comes next.”