We Are Footprint takes a step forward with sale to VGC Group

We Are Footprint has been sold to VGC Group in a deal advised by KBS Corporate, with both parties finding alignment on the way forward from an early stage of negotiations.

The two recruitment businesses identified a mutual focus on social value, with We Are Footprint’s commitment to ethical practices and care for the people it places making it an attractive acquisition opportunity for VGC Group.

Established in 2012, We Are Footprint is a specialist recruiter in the construction industry, providing temporary and permanent staffing solutions for all trades, labour and professional roles.

In a deal advised by Joe Norris, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, the company was sold to VGC Group, a leading recruitment partner to the infrastructure industry.

VGC Group is led by Ciara Pryce (CEO), Chris Ryan (COO) and Chris Hoyle (CFO), and supports training, employment and community initiatives that help people overcome barriers to work.

We Are Footprint’s social enterprise activity and pre-employment programmes complement this approach, creating opportunities to share expertise and support more people into construction careers.

“When I talked with Ciara, Chris and Chris, it was obvious early on that we want the same things,” said Stephen Carr, Managing Director of We Are Footprint.

“They put people first, and they understand why our social-value work and giving people a chance mean so much to us.

“We’re really proud of what we’ve built at We Are Footprint, and joining VGC Group gives us the backing to take that work further.

“Our clients and candidates can expect the same people, same approach and same commitment they’ve always had from us. We’re building on what’s already working, with more opportunities ahead for our team and the people we support.”

The two businesses already share the same client network, making it a natural starting point for closer collaboration and for offering those clients a wider range of recruitment services.

“We’ve been looking at how we can grow VGC into new areas and We Are Footprint brings us the local knowledge, relationships and commercial construction experience to do that,” said Ciara Pryce, CEO of VGC Group.

“Stephen and his team have built a business that cares about its clients and the people it supports. That really matters to us.

“We share the same approach to recruitment and the belief that we should give something back to the communities where we work. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”