QA partners with GIST Impact for Social ROI insights

QA, the UK’s leading tech skills and talent provider, has joined forces with GIST Impact, a market-leading data and analytics provider, to help organisations measure and maximise the social and environmental impact of their workforce development programmes.

Together, this partnership is transforming the way businesses track and assess the real value of their training and talent initiatives – beyond profit, towards an equitable and sustainable future.

Best-in-class learning meets cutting edge data insight

QA’s industry-leading apprenticeship and training expertise, combined with GIST Impact’s science-backed impact mapping tools, allows businesses to align workforce development with broader social, economic, and environmental goals. This collaboration offers both tangible returns and strategic insights, empowering companies to track their investment in people in a more holistic way.

Impact in numbers

Through GIST Impact’s analysis, QA’s own Data Analyst Apprenticeship Programme has been calculated to generate an impressive £29 million of social impact in 2024 from a £6.8 million investment, representing a remarkable 422% ROI.

One apprenticeship programme, £29m of social impact

In other words, for every £1 invested, the programme returned £4.22 in social value, which is defined as the broader impact of an organisation's activities on the economy, environment, and its community, beyond just financial returns.

What does it mean for the workforce?

This partnership delivers specific benefits to various business functions:

• For Commercial Teams: Leverage data-driven insights to enhance commercial outcomes.
• For CSR Professionals: Demonstrate tangible progress on corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, with clear returns on social and environmental initiatives.
• For Executives: Showcase the quantifiable impact of workforce investments on both profit and purpose.

Take it from the partners

Jo Bishenden, Managing Director of Apprenticeships at QA, stated:

“Our partnership with GIST Impact allows us to showcase the incredible social return on investment that apprenticeships bring. Together, we’re paving the way for businesses to measure the transformative power of apprenticeships not just in skills – 
but in local economic and social impact.”

Sam King, SVP Corporate at GIST Impact, said:

“We are incredibly excited to partner with QA to bring a new dimension to workforce development. Together, we’re offering companies the data and insights they need to align their employee development objectives with broader strategic and societal goals, ensuring sustainable growth.”

Karan Peer, Head of Human and Social Capital at GIST Impact, added:

“Being a social impact researcher, it’s a privilege to work with an organisation like QA as they create quantifiable, place-based impact every day, and pave the way for a more holistic approach to measuring and managing human capital.”

With QA and GIST Impact, businesses can seamlessly measure and communicate the value of their workforce programmes, enabling informed, purpose-driven decisions that drive both sustainable growth and measurable social outcomes.

Learn more about how QA's partnership with GIST Impact can transform your organisation