Social Value Business

Our team meet-up was great… but it’s not about us, it’s about you! 2 days of discussion, planning and development work gearing up for an exciting autumn of supporting our clients, charities and virtual communities… Here are a few teasers… ✨ Our sponsorship programme has seen 2 fantastic charities achieve the SVQM – announcements shortly! We finalised sponsorships for the rest of the year and reflected on the REAL value this accreditation is delivering for them – the ability to understand, measure and develop impact with renewed intention. ✨ Clients will soon be able to benefit from further developments in our partnership with the brilliant team at Impact Reporting. ✨ Do you ever feel that social value can be a lonely job role? Our #ValueCommunity will be back with a bang after the summer holidays… ✨ Each team member shared case studies of the ‘real world’ impact they are delivering for clients, from major bid successes to reporting on some truly ground-breaking social programmes. ✨ If you work in #Tech, #Healthcare or #Construction, look out for a suite of new resources coming your way soon to plan, develop and measure social value. Follow our page for a heads-up on all this and more! Richard Dickins David Webster Dave McGuinness Emma Hope Becky Jones Jayne Shufflebotham Danielle King

🌍 Backing Purpose-Driven Changemakers 💡 Social Value Business and Social Value Quality Mark are proud to be teaming up this year to sponsor 10 amazing charities and social enterprises on their journey to achieve SVQM Bronze accreditation. These organisations are tackling real-world challenges — from sustainable energy to social isolation — and now they'll get the support they need to shine even brighter, through: ✅ Independent accreditation ✅ Stronger impact storytelling ✅ Greater trust from funders and customers ✅ More engaged teams We’ve chosen causes that mean something personal to our team, and we’re putting our values into action: 🔸 SVB is gifting a combined total of 150 hours of pro bono consultancy 🔸 SVQM is helping each organisation build credibility and stand out in a crowded space through independent verification As Richard Dickins puts it, “Our social value approach is deeply rooted in the missions of both organisations — this programme is about recognising social value excellence and helping it grow.” Want to see social value in action? Stay tuned — we’ll be sharing the inspiring journeys of these trailblazers over the coming months. #SocialValue #PurposeDriven #SVQM #CharitySupport #SocialEnterprise #Sponsorship #BusinessWithImpact ENERGY ALTON LIMITED The Workshop Aberfeldy

ActiveMe 360 it’s been a pleasure to support your journey! Your passion for driving social change is infectious 👏

✴️ £650 million! ✴️ Did you know that in the last year we've helped clients bid for and win over £650m of public sector business? From tender support to bid-specific action plans, community approaches to verified, measurable evidence, we can help you navigate and win at public sector procurement. Download our brochure and drop us a line 👇

Ever wondered what best practice looks like when it comes to delivering and measuring #socialvalue? CyberFirst, a pioneering initiative led by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), offers a shining example of how the #technology sector can lead in social impact creation. Their latest report, developed in collaboration with Social Value Business, highlights social value worth £41.4m in 2024-25. It’s a compelling read, showcasing best practice in measuring, creating, and delivering social value. Social Value Business is proud to have collaborated on this report which serves as a benchmark for excellence in social impact reporting. Richard Dickins, MD at Social Value Business says: “It’s been a pleasure for us to map, quantify and illustrate the transformational impact of CyberFirst. Through strategic investment and collaboration, the programme is delivering economic, social, and technological progress.” Access the report at: https://lnkd.in/e_Buua6t Or read more below 👇 National Cyber Security Centre #digital #IT

Now we’re hearing about real world case studies from local authorities. Including Salford City Council London Borough of Waltham Forest and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council The Public Procurement Act is naturally a hot topic. We’re hearing: - How the act is promoting 2 way conversations. It allows greater collaboration and measurable community impact. - How policy alone can’t drive meaningful change… there is a need for meaningful partnerships - There’s still a risk of box ticking and it can feel overly complex. To make social value meaningful, the panel gave some key insights: - Vistry Group works closely with Waltham Council. they say it’s important to work really closely and be able to respond quickly as things change. It must stay locally relevant. And be embedded throughout the lifecycle. Waltham adds that local connection and supplier support is key in delivering community need. They are big on meaningful collaboration. - Squeezed budgets are a key issue at local authority level. - Frustrations with measurement continue. A consistent approach is needed but must prioritise meaningful impact in communities. Measurement only tells part of the story. No measurement tool will fully explain e.g great relationships with colleges and students. The story behind the numbers matters. - Salford prioritises making it clear to suppliers how they can make change and the community organisations they might work with. - There is a risk of fixating on measurement and forgetting about People, adds @Waltham. We need to consider legacy and long term impact. - Vistry adds that a big focus is attraction of new talent - apprenticeships are vitally important despite being lower in monetised social return than e.g employment. - when buyers, suppliers, partners and community groups come together, it works brilliantly. Quarterly engagement events are effective. With thanks to host @Matt Howarth Impact Reporting for facilitating a great session.

We’re hearing now about the National Procurement Policy statement - what’s changed 86 days in and how can we make it meaningful? Some key points from the debate at #Procurex2025 - there’s a significant opportunity to work differently but bidders need support to understand the new contract landscape and what’s being asked for. - it gives VCSEs and smaller orgs a leg up, encouraging authorities to broaden supply chains. - larger suppliers alone can’t achieve the required social value. Engaging VCSEs is key. Suppliers must partner to help tackle health inequality, crime and diversity challenges. - under the new NPPS, suppliers have greater opportunity to ask Qs and get feedback - this is particularly welcomed by anyone who’s ever been turned down on a bid. - greater transparency and rigour - particularly for contracts of £5m+ - supports social value delivery. - it’s put a rocket up the public and private sectors to be clear on what’s needed and focus on meaningful delivery rather than opportunistic approaches. Procurex #procurement #socialvalue

It’s a beautiful day to be in the heart of #Liverpool for Procurex 2025! It’s not just about catching up with valued contacts and seeing iconic sights… we’ll be bringing you procurement insights throughout this afternoon thanks to a packed line up of speakers. Here’s a quick one - We’re hearing that small businesses are generally welcoming the changes to public #procurement, and seeing new opportunities as local authorities broaden their supply chains. We expected to see a big focus on social value and we’re not disappointed. This is key to maximising opportunity in the public sector and retaining greater local economic value. Stay tuned for more…

Ai is transforming how we work, and social value research is no exception. In this insightful blog, Richard Dickins weighs the benefits and pitfalls of Ai's application for social research purposes. #technology #Ai #socialimpact #ESG techUK

Say hello to Becky Jones, Social Value Specialist for SVB for the Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Health Board and a key part of the SVQM community. With over 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors, Becky brings deep expertise in strategy, transformation, sustainability, equality and diversity, and social value. At the heart of her work is a passion for helping organisations achieve their best when it comes to delivering meaningful impact. "I'm passionate about turning big ideas into practical, system-wide action, supporting organisations to spread social value where it matters most." – Becky Jones From championing place-based change to applying anchor principles, Becky works at the intersection of policy and people, empowering businesses to make a difference across their communities. When she's not driving system-wide transformation, you'll often find Becky pitch-side cheering on her daughter’s football team ⚽ or enjoying live music at a local gig 🎶. 💬 Curious about making an impact through place-making or anchor-based approaches? Drop a comment. Becky would love to chat! #SocialValueLeadership #ImpactWithPurpose #HealthcareInnovation #PurposeDrivenBusiness #CommunityChangeMakers