What The Foundry does

The Foundry (legally The Social Justice and Human Rights Centre Ltd) is a purpose-built workspace, meeting, conference, and events venue located at 17 Oval Way, Vauxhall, London SE11 5RR. It operates from a redeveloped former shoe polish factory, completed in 2014 and opened to tenants in 2015, and is housed in a RIBA London Building of the Year 2015 facility with BREEAM Excellent and EPC A (score 24) sustainability credentials. It is a single physical asset used exclusively by social impact organisations.

The centre is structured as a joint venture between four charitable trusts (Trust for London, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, The Barrow Cadbury Trust, and LankellyChase Foundation) and The Ethical Property Company PLC, which acts as lead partner and property manager. It accommodates approximately 36 tenant organisations focused on social justice and human rights (including Action on Smoking and Health, British Institute of Human Rights, Inclusion International, Prisoner's Education Trust, and Christian Aid). The operating entity is private limited, incorporated in England and Wales, and the venture has no disclosed equity funding beyond a stale 2013 reference to Bridges Fund Management.

Revenue is generated through four streams: (i) inclusive monthly workspace rental for organisations of 5–50 headcount with no fixed minimum term; (ii) meeting and conference room hire for 10–80 people across seven rooms and a 90-seat conference hall; (iii) Atrium and exhibition space hire (minimum 4-hour slots, 13:30–21:00); and (iv) catering and AV add-ons, with a preferred catering partnership with social-enterprise Lovage Project and hybrid event capability via Owl, Zoom, Aver, and Kandao Meeting Pro cameras. The customer mix is dominated by charity, voluntary sector, and public-sector buyers, with discounted rates available for charitable organisations. Go-to-market is direct, community-led, and event-driven rather than technology-driven.

Name

The Foundry

Legal name

The Social Justice and Human Rights Centre Ltd

Website

https://aplaceforchange.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Foundry is a RIBA award-winning workspace, meeting, conference, and events venue in Vauxhall, London, operated as a joint venture with charitable trusts and Ethical Property Company. It rents inclusive office space to ~36 social justice and human rights organisations and hires meeting and conference rooms to charities and public-sector clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Workspace and Event Venue

NAICS

Facilities Support Services (561210), Office Administrative Services (5611)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Meeting & Events Support Services (Room Setup, AV Coordination, Hospitality) (IMAIALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conference Room & Meeting Services Support (BPABAEAE), Hybrid Work Enablement & Desk/Room Booking Operations (BPABAFAH), Workplace & Office Support Services (Reception/Mailroom/Porterage/Helpdesk) (IMAIAAAD)

Keywords

• Community workspace rental
• Conference and event venues
• Meeting room hire
• Flexible office space
• Charity coworking centres

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Workspace and Office Rental: Flexible office spaces available for organisations making positive social impact, with inclusive rental covering centre maintenance, management, reception services, cleaning, waste and recycling, fire and security provision, phone line rental and broadband access. Spaces accommodate 5 to 50 people with no fixed minimum term on rental contracts.
2. Meeting and Conference Room Hire: Room hire for meetings, conferences, and events. Pricing varies by room size and configuration. Includes equipment such as flipchart, set-up technician, lectern. Additional charges for tech and services. Discounted rates available for charitable organisations.
3. Exhibition and Event Space Rental: Atrium and exhibition space available for hire, often used for community events, exhibitions, and networking. The Atrium is available for hire for a minimum 4-hour time slot, bookable between 13:30-21:00.
4. Catering Partnership Commission: Lovage Project provides on-site catering services for events. External caterers are also permitted with conditions. A catering commission or arrangement exists through the preferred partner relationship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Foundry provides flexible office workspace rental for organisations (accommodating 5–50 people), seven adaptable meeting rooms (10–80 capacity), a ground-floor conference hall (up to 90 in theatre layout), and exhibition/atrium event space. Service add-ons include hybrid event audio-visual solutions and on-site plant-based catering through its social-enterprise partner Lovage Project. The offering is purpose-built for charities, NGOs, and social-impact organisations, with inclusive rentals (maintenance, reception, security, broadband) and discounted rates for the voluntary sector.

Product overview

The Foundry is a venue and community space provider offering workspace rental, meeting rooms, conference facilities, and event spaces for social justice and human rights organisations. The core offerings include: Workspace Rental for organisations (5-50 people capacity), Meeting Room Hire (7 adaptable rooms with various capacities), Conference Hall (up to 90 guests), and Event Space Hire (including Atrium and exhibition spaces). Add-on services include Audio-Visual Services with hybrid event capabilities and Catering through Lovage Project partnership. The venue is managed by Ethical Property Company and focuses on providing spaces for impact-driven organisations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Workspace Rental Flexible office space rental for organisations making positive social impact, accommodating 5 to 50 people on inclusive monthly subscriptions covering maintenance, reception, cleaning, waste and recycling, fire and security, phone line rental, and broadband. No fixed minimum term.
• Meeting Room Hire Seven adaptable meeting rooms available in various combinations with capacities ranging from 10 to 80 people, equipped with free Wi-Fi, eco-heating/cooling, flipcharts, lectern, and technician support for meetings, workshops, and training.
• Conference Hall Ground floor conference hall accommodating up to 90 guests in theatre layout, 45 in cabaret, and 25 in boardroom configuration, with projector, screen, sound system, and two microphones.
• Event Space Hire (Atrium and Exhibition Space) Hireable event spaces including the Atrium (minimum 4-hour slot, available 13:30–21:00) and exhibition spaces for community events, workshops, and exhibitions.
• Catering Services (Lovage Project) On-site catering through the partnership with Lovage Project, a non-profit, plant-based, low-waste catering social enterprise, providing food and drinks for events and meetings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Living Wage Building accreditation applying to all 36 tenant organisations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Living Wage FoundationcoreOthers · 1 November 2024The Living Wage Foundation recognizes employers who voluntarily pay the Real Living Wage, calculated based on the cost of living. The Foundry achieved Living Wage Building accreditation, meaning all 36 tenant organisations have committed to paying the Real Living Wage to their employees and contractors. This partnership demonstrates The Foundry's commitment to fair pay and tackling in-work poverty.
• Lovage ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLovage Project is The Foundry's on-site catering partner. It is a non-profit, plant-based, low-waste catering company and social enterprise. Their mission includes providing job opportunities for those in need and supporting marginalised groups, aligning with The Foundry's values.
• London Beekeepers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the London Beekeepers Association to run a beekeeping project promoting sustainable beekeeping in the wider community. The project is ongoing and includes working with a local school.
• Vauxhall OneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Vauxhall One to host Dr. Bike Winter Sessions - hands-on bike repair workshops teaching attendees how to perform repairs themselves.
• In Toto Music CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost opera workshops at The Foundry, led by pianist/composer Sam Peña and opera singer Emma Jüngling. Their goal is to bring interactive classical music projects to communities and challenge clichés surrounding opera.
• NEON Performing ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEON is an integral part of South London's creative arts scene, providing dance, singing, songwriting and drama classes to young people aged 5-18 and creative career pathways to young people aged 13-30. They partnered with The Foundry for the 'Selfhood' exhibition.
• Anti-Slavery InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenant organisation at The Foundry that partnered with the venue to organise a Clothes Swap event, promoting sustainable fashion and reducing textile waste.
• GasworksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGasworks is a non-profit contemporary visual art organisation working at the intersection between UK and international practices. Partnered with The Foundry for exhibition tours and community events connecting the two venues.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Ethical Property Company: Lead JV partner and property manager of The Foundry, operating a UK-wide portfolio of workspaces for charities and social-purpose organisations. Directly comparable as the operator of the same business model — workspace provision for impact organisations — at greater scale.
• Impact Hub: Global network of mission-driven coworking and innovation spaces for social-impact organisations. Highly comparable to The Foundry's positioning as a venue-community hybrid targeted at purpose-led tenants and programming.
• The Office Group (TOG): London-headquartered flexible workspace and meeting-room operator with conference facilities. Comparable in product mix (private offices, meeting rooms, event spaces) and London geography, though at much larger scale and broader customer base.
• etc.venues: UK operator of dedicated conference, meeting, and training venues in London and other cities. Directly comparable on the meeting-room and conference-hall side of The Foundry's offering, with similar pricing-style customer mix.
• Runway East: London-based flexible workspace provider serving startups and growth-stage teams with meeting rooms and event programming. Comparable product (offices + meeting rooms + community events) in the same London market.
• Uncommon: London flexible-workspace and student accommodation operator offering offices, meeting rooms, and event spaces. Comparable product mix and London-centric footprint, though targeted at a broader commercial tenant base.

Broad incumbents

• Workspace Group: Established London flexible-workspace provider with a portfolio of business centres offering offices, meeting rooms, and event spaces. Comparable core product (flexible workspace + meeting/event hire) at significantly larger scale and broader customer mix.
• IWG (Regus / Spaces): Global flexible-workspace giant operating Regus, Spaces, HQ, and Signature brands. Comparable in offering flexible offices and meeting rooms, though at vastly greater scale and with a commercial (not mission-led) positioning.

Emerging players

• Mindspace: Premium coworking and serviced-office operator with locations across Europe and the US. Comparable product (flexible offices + meeting rooms + community events), though targeting corporate and startup tenants rather than NGOs.
• Second Home: London-based creative coworking operator known for design-led spaces and cultural programming. Comparable in combining workspace with events, exhibitions, and a curated community — though aimed at creative industries rather than charities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aplaceforchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/aplaceforchange
• Xx.com/aplaceforchange

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Foundry