Purpose Lab students partner with Serco on purpose, ESG and colleague networks
In recent Purpose Lab sessions, students joined Serco and The Purpose Coalition to explore how a major public-service provider turns purpose into practice - across careers, ESG and colleague networks.
The first session looked at Serco’s mission and the breadth of roles that deliver essential services in justice and immigration, health, defence, transport and citizen services. The second session focused on colleague networks and progression and explored what good looks like, who gets access, and how to make participation easier and more impactful.
Understanding Serco: purpose and values
Students heard how Serco applies a People–Place–Planet ESG framework to day-to-day decisions, alongside clear governance. The discussion covered early-careers pathways, community impact, and decarbonisation efforts, as well as the wide range of career routes beyond frontline operations - customer experience, estates, IT, data, HR and sustainability.
A recurring theme was consistency - how a common ESG framework flexes to very different environments. The group explored how local ownership and transparent measurement help keep outcomes relevant across sites and contracts. Students were also interested in ethics and decision-making, with Serco describing how governance shapes what the company takes on and how progress is reported.
Colleague networks and progression in practice
Session two examined how networks can build belonging and accelerate development. Students engaged with Serco’s existing networks and progression programmes, discussing how naming, criteria and expected outcomes can make them easier to understand at a glance.
They also explored practical ways to lower barriers - simpler joining journeys, introductory sessions and visible role-model stories - to help people participate with confidence.
A further focus was data and trust. Students emphasised the importance of explaining why information is collected, how it is protected and what action follows, so sharing feels purposeful and safe.
Student feedback
Across both sessions, several themes stood out:
Clear communication – plain-English positioning for networks and programmes, with who it’s for, time needed and the benefits people should expect.
Make the first step easy – offer low-commitment intro sessions and blend online and in-person participation to reduce barriers like travel and time.
Show, don’t just tell – pair ESG metrics with human stories and regular, accessible updates across web, reports and social channels.
Design for equity – ensure networks create space for open conversation and are geared to development, not just discussion.
Be clear on the use of data – be explicit about purpose, privacy and the changes that result.
These Purpose Lab sessions gave Serco direct access to student insight on what builds trust and engagement, while giving students a window into purpose-driven careers in public service.
