Member Story: Emma Thornton, Head of Social Value, Capita Pension Solutions

1. How did you get into CR&S, and why did you choose this profession?

I spent over a decade working at a financial services firm that was heavily regulated as a team leader, having worked my way up— during that time, I had three children. After returning from maternity leave with my third child, I found myself craving a new challenge — something with meaning. I applied for a HR role looking at the company’s gender pay gap reporting, unfortunately I didn’t have the experience and skills needed but the team loved my passion and attitude and recommended me for a secondment as a Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant to cover maternity leave. I was successful and immediately fell in love and I haven’t looked back since. I fell in love with the sense of purpose, the alignment of values and business goals, the opportunity to create long-term, meaningful change and I wanted to embed CSR in every part of the business, but I found there just wasn’t the appetite where I was. So I made the leap and moved into a local public service social value role where I was able to make a real difference and now, I have become a head of social value in the pensions part of the business so I can affect the type of change I want to and bring this purpose to others.

2. What makes your sector unique from a CRS perspective?

Working in pensions brings a unique lens to CRS. It’s a sector often seen as complex or distant, but it’s fundamentally about security, trust, and dignity — values that are at the heart of responsible business. What’s exciting is the opportunity to reframe pensions through a social value lens: helping people understand their futures, empowering communities with financial education, and ensuring we’re building a fairer, more inclusive system for all. It’s about delivering long-term value — not just in returns, but in impact. We’re supporting people not just in retirement, but across their whole life journey, and that gives us a powerful platform to create change.

3. What do you need to do your job brilliantly?

To do this job well, I need connection, curiosity and a good dose of courage. Connection — because collaboration is everything in CRS; it’s about aligning diverse voices and driving collective action. Curiosity — because I’m always learning: about policy shifts, stakeholder expectations, or how best to measure impact meaningfully. And courage — because advocating for social value sometimes means challenging the status quo, asking uncomfortable questions, and pushing for better. I also rely on the support of brilliant colleagues, mentors, and networks (like ICRS!), who inspire me to think bigger and do better. And, let’s be honest, a decent brew helps too.

4. What advice would you give to others on getting into CR&S?

Start where you are — you don’t need the job title to make a difference. Some of the best social impact work begins with someone asking, “How could we do this in a more purposeful way?” My advice is: be intentional. Learn the language of CRS, stay close to people and policies that drive change, and don’t be afraid to bring your personal values into professional spaces. Say yes to opportunities that stretch you, whether it’s volunteering, joining employee networks, or writing your first impact report. And remember — this field needs diverse voices and lived experience. Your story isn’t a side note — it’s your strength.

5. Anything else you’d like to share?

I’d really love to be involved in making this space a positive and collaborative one for others in anyway that I can so if there are any ways that I can do this with ICRS I would love to be involved!