Social Value UK

Author: WP Support

  • Meet Our New Board Members – Fran Boorman

    Meet Our New Board Members – Fran Boorman

    Social Value UK is delighted to announce that Fran Boorman has recently joined our Board of Directors. The fresh perspective and experience Fran will bring to the board is something we look forward to!

    Ahead of joining the board, we had time to catch up with her and learn a little more…

    Who are you?

    My background is in developing successful high growth businesses as both an executive and non-executive board member.

    I am the founder of Goal 17 Ltd, a multi-award-winning mentor training company that has been featured in Forbes, the BBC News and many national newspapers for our social impact work. We are best known for our programmes that pair corporate mentors with charity beneficiaries to help break down the barriers in society.

    It is through Goal 17 that I started my connection with SVUK and a fascination with measuring, understanding and improving impact.

    Goal 17 has evolved and is now building a technology mentoring platform through our sister company Wowment. Wowment will connect thousands of people from different backgrounds in mentoring relationships. We are developing AI to help understand, motivate and enhance those relationships.

    Alongside my own work I also hold other non-exec and advocacy roles in different sectors including chairing a government advisory working group, being a charity trustee and an Entrepreneurship Fellow of Oxford Brookes University.

    Why did you join the Social Value UK Board of Directors?

    Having been at the forefront of helping larger blue-chip organisations create social impact for many years it is wonderful to see the recent shift in social value becoming more ‘mainstream’ as it forges a solid position on the commercial and political agenda. Creating and measuring social value is changing from a ‘nice to do’ to a being commercially and morally essential.

    I feel this is a pivotal moment and now, more than ever, there needs to be a robust independent governing body to lead the way. I want to bring my expertise to support Social Value UK to become the ‘go to’ organisation for anything related to social value and impact management.

    What are you most excited to see in Social Value UK’s future?

    Momentum is beginning to build around Social Value as more individuals and organisations begin to understand its importance and relevance in both business and society. I am excited to see Social Value UK lead the way in championing best practice and influencing all stakeholders to understand and uphold the highest standards.

    Is there a particular social/environmental issue that you feel strongly about?

    I am incredibly passionate about Social Mobility and how creating equal opportunities is an essentials part of our economic and social future. I am specifically passionate about creating an inclusive employment market.

    There is undisputable data that diverse teams perform better in commercial and civil society. I am committed to helping create new pathways that support previously underrepresented groups gain access to opportunities.

    Measuring and understanding social value has a significant role to play in achieving effective social mobility outcomes.

    “Creating and measuring social value is changing from a ‘nice to do’ to a being commercially and

    morally essential. Now is the time for a truly independent governing body to lead the way.” – Fran Boorman, Founder of Goal 17

    More questions to other new board members in the coming weeks!

    Posted 13th February 2023

  • SVUK poses social value questions to Southwest lawyers

    SVUK poses social value questions to Southwest lawyers

    “We’ve been doing this, we just didn’t know it” was the overwhelming response to a speech given by Social Value UK chief executive Isabelle Parasram on Thursday evening at Powderham Castle, Devon. 

    Isabelle, alongside two work experience students and SVUK advocacy lead Matthew Mckew, attended a dinner and tour laid on by law firm Michelmores. 

    The focus of the evening was to shed light on the “S” in ESG – Environment, Social and Governance reporting. 

    Isabelle opened her speech by levelling the playing field for the lawyers, who represented diverse firms such as fashion brand Mulberry, utility company Pennon Group and environment charity Client Earth, by outlining what social value is. 

    Positive feedback came back immediately, with those yet to embark on their social value journey suggesting they were already creating positive social impacts but were either yet to measure their impacts or fully involve stakeholders in the process. 

    For others, perhaps further in their journey, Isabelle encouraged the guests to use what they had been measuring to evaluate the outcomes and inform future decisions. 

    The SVUK CEO also flagged the need for organisations to address their negative social impacts and look to challenge themselves. 

    This sparked intrigue from the guests, with some admitting negative impacts had perhaps flown under the radar. 

    Either side of Isabelle’s speech, the assembled guests were treated to a tour of Powderham Castle by the owner, the Earl of Devon Charles Courtenay. 

    Over dinner, SVUK advocacy lead Matthew Mckew invited guests to consider their social value creation through the prism of staff wellbeing. 

    He outlined how the benefits exceeded just moral or ethical rewards and could prove beneficial in terms of productivity. 

    Matthew also challenged guests to consider how they went about trying to achieve a positive impact on their local communities. 

    He asked the lawyers to consider, for example, how pro bono legal advice could be more impactful to an under-resourced community group than a spare pair of hands on a DIY morning. 

    Social Value UK attended the event as part of its advocacy programme. 

    It was an opportunity to spread the social value message to external groups and encourage more organisations to make decisions informed by their social impacts. 

     

    Posted 13th February 2023
  • New Organisational Members – Invictus Wellbeing

    New Organisational Members – Invictus Wellbeing

    Why do you think social value is important? In your organisation, your industry or in wider society?

    The charity sector is constantly looking for funding, often stepping into the gaps that are left through funding cuts to public services and NHS services.We now want to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of funding organisations like ours and the services that we provide by being able to accurately measure and demonstrate our social value locally, regionally and nationally.

    What are your plans for your SVUK membership?

    We look forward to learning more, networking, training & developing and changing culture.

    “We’re excited to get started as a Social Value UK organisational member and using their support and expertise to demonstrate the social value our organisation and our projects have on a local, regional and national level.” – Invictus Wellbeing

  • New Level 1 Associate Practitioner – Yuhei Inoue

    New Level 1 Associate Practitioner – Yuhei Inoue

    Social Value UK are proud to announce that our member, Yuhei Inoue has achieved Level One Associate Practitioner status.

    Ahead of this announcement, we spoke to Yuhei about his experience with the assessment process…

    Why have you decided to undertake the Social Value International Practitioner Pathway?

    I have decided to undertake the Social Value International Practitioner Pathway to expand my knowledge on social impact assessment and management and apply the Principles of Social Value to my academic research on the social impact of sport organisations, events, and programmes.

    What did you learn and find useful from this assessment process?

    Through the assessment process, I was able to gain a more in-depth understanding of how the framework of SROI works as well as key principles and procedures that we must follow to undertake an SROI analysis.

    Now that you are a Level 1 Associate Practitioner what do you plan to do next to develop your practice? How do you plan to use your practitioner skills? 

    I am planning to conduct an SROI analysis for my academic research on the social impact of sport. I am also considering applying for Level 2 Accredited Practitioner or Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status in the coming years.

    Are there any specific projects or activities you are doing at the moment that are related to SROI/social value?

    My colleagues and I have recently completed an SROI analysis for the Rugby Football League in England, in which we found an SROI ratio of £3.39:1 for its Disability Rugby League programmes. The full report can be accessed here.

    You have now joined a community of practice around the globe. What does this mean to you and why do you want to participate and contribute to the development of the methodology and overall social value movement?

    Being a part of this community of practice means that by working with like-minded practitioners I can engage in a collective effort to make our society healthier, more inclusive and sustainable. I am particularly keen to apply the Principles of Social Values to the sport field and contribute to the development of assessment methodologies and tools that can optimise the social impact of sport organisations, events, and programmes.

    “I am very excited to have become a Level 1 Associate Practitioner with Social Value

    International. I am keen to apply the Principles of Social Values to the sport field and

    help sport organisations, events, and programmes across the world to manage and

    optimise their social impact.” – Yuhei Inoue

    For more information, please contact Yuhei via y.inoue@mmu.ac.uk

    Posted 26th January 2023
  • Alcohol addiction might not look how you expect it to – and recovery may surprise you too

    Alcohol addiction might not look how you expect it to – and recovery may surprise you too

    Content Warning: this blog references personal experiences with addiction. If you want more information or support with this issue, please visit: Drug and alcohol addiction – useful contacts – Mind

    We need to find better ways to support people through their unique journeys – as employers, colleagues, family members and friends. 

    My name is Rob, and I WAS an alcoholic. 

    Not anymore. 

    On the 3rd September 2018 I had my last alcoholic drink – a very nice pint of Vocation Brewery’s ‘Life & Death’. The irony is not lost on me. Maybe I wasn’t going to die, but if I’d continued to drink I may not have had a life any more. 

    And I had a good life to live for. A fantastic, rewarding, if stressful, job. I had young children, a supportive wife and loving friends and family. People couldn’t contemplate that I had a problem, me included.  

    That’s because I was a high-functioning alcoholic. 

    It’s not the type of alcoholic most people picture – not a dishevelled, drinking vodka in the morning, being aggressive to the people around them, type. 

    But drinking had begun to have an impact on my day-to-day decisions. I would miss my train intentionally to squeeze in a couple of pints on my way home. I would stay up late to embrace that second or third bottle of wine. I would go out with my family to lunch, yes, but always to somewhere with a licence.  

    I knew I had a problem. It took me another two years to find the confidence to do something about it.  

    Giving up alcohol was a decision I made for me. Giving up any dependence or addiction is a selfish act. And that’s okay. You can’t do it for other people – your family, friends or colleagues. You need to do it for yourself. 

    I started by seeking support through my local GP and Drug and Alcohol Services, but the advice and help just didn’t ring true for me. “Get rid of your friends”, “change your hobbies”, “don’t go out” – I thought that sounded pretty rubbish. I had to find another way. 

    For me it was simple – talking. I underwent professional therapy, but also held self-indulgent conversations with open, supportive, friends and family who were also prepared challenged me and my behaviour. 

    Most importantly, I continued to experience the happiness that pubs, gigs, food, friends and music brought me. Experiences that used to involve drinking too much. 

    This helped me tackle the problems I was masking with booze, become comfortable and even confident with my “new normal”, and still be me. 

    My story is not the 12 steps. It’s not a 90s Bodyform advert where my change in lifestyle led to roller skating, marathon running and parachute jumps. It’s just my story of how I tackled a problem and how my friends, family and colleagues supported me to do so by backing my decision and allowing me to – in the words of Frank Sinatra and Sid Vicious – do it my way.  

    Creating a safe space to support employees with addiction 

    My experiences have taught me that we have a long way to go in understanding how we help people navigate dependence and addiction. 

    The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development states “employers should also take preventative action, ensuring their workplace is not a contributing factor to substance use and misuse”.  

    But most advice for companies dealing with drug and alcohol addiction focuses on how to punish the employee for the indirect effects of alcohol such as performance, punctuality and absence. 

    This approach is likely to exacerbate the problem. 

    The person is already struggling, they don’t need to be further burdened with threats to their career or lectures on the risks to their health and finances, because it will just add to their low self-esteem. 

    So what can you do to help as an employer? 

    • Allow a person to talk about their situation – without fear of being judged or punished. 

    • Find out what support is available locally – drug and alcohol services, meetings like AA or Andy’s Man Club – and allow time off to attend. 

    • Identify mentors in your workforce who have been there and are willing to chat. 
    • Foster an internal culture of openness and support. 
    • Don’t just give them a leaflet. 
    • Don’t punish them. 

    I’m no guru, I’m not a clean-living saint and I still can’t run a marathon. 

    But I am happy. And my productivity both in and out of work has rocketed since I felt able and supported to give up drinking. 

    There’s no magic bullet and no one-size-fits-all solution. But by telling my story, I hope to open eyes to the challenges of giving up alcohol, and suggest a different approach to supporting your colleagues, friends and employees to do so. 

    This blog was written by Rob Wolfe, Social Value Consultant and founder of CHY consultancy. 

    Would you like to get involved…

    To be contribute to our upcoming themes please contact Matthew Mckew, Advocacy Lead at Social Value UK. We are interested in hearing from both members and non-members.  

    Matt Eamer, founder of me&you said; “I’m excited that my creative agency can support Social Value UK in its mission to raise awareness and understanding of social value. We’ll be creating visuals and graphics to help bring Social Value Perspectives to life, making the themes accessible for new audiences.“

    For media enquiries, please contact Isabelle Parasram OBE, CEO of Social Value UK, through our office by emailing info@socialvalueuk.org 

    Posted 9th January 2023

  • We are delighted to announce Charlotte Sipi as a Level 1 Associate Practitioner

    We are delighted to announce Charlotte Sipi as a Level 1 Associate Practitioner

    Social Value UK are proud to announce that our member, Charlotte Sipi, has achieved Level One Associate Practitioner status.

    Charlotte is Head of Social Sustainability at the UK Parliament. The UK Parliament has two Houses that work on behalf of UK citizens to check and challenge the work of Government, make and shape effective laws, and debate/make decisions on the big issues of the day.  

    Ahead of this announcement, we had a discussion about our Practitioner Pathway and Charlotte’s experience with the Level One assessment process:

    Why have you decided to undertake the Social Value International Practitioner Pathway?

    I was really keen to undertake the Social Value International Practitioner Pathway to understand more about social value and how it relates to the work I do. I also thought this was important in demonstrating my understanding and knowledge in this area. 

    What did you learn and find useful from this assessment process?

    I learnt about the core principles of social value, which were so interesting to look at in depth and to think practically about how these can be applied to projects and assessments. I learnt about the importance of stakeholders and including them throughout an activity to ensure what you are doing is informed by those who are impacted. I also found it useful to learn about different methods to measure and monetise social value. Overall the assessment process was really insightful and gave me lots of ideas. 

    Now that you are a Level 1 Associate Practitioner what do you plan to do next to develop your practice? How do you plan to use your practitioner skills? 

    Now that I am a Level 1 Associate Practitioner, I plan to use what I have learnt about the social value principles in my upcoming work. I hope to learn more by practically applying these and develop a greater understanding of what works well for the initiatives and projects I manage or oversee. I also want to share this learning with others where possible, to develop knowledge on social value and why this is important. I also aim to build on this by working towards Level 2 status in the future. 

    Are there any specific projects or activities you are doing at the moment that are related to SROI/social value?

    I am working on a number of social value related projects which this will be relevant to and I am looking forward to applying the social value principles and testing out some ideas in the future! 

    You have now joined a community of practice around the globe. What does this mean to you and why do you want to participate and contribute to the development of the methodology and overall social value movement?

    I am proud to have gained Level 1 Associate Practitioner status and to now be part of this community. I aim to engage with the community of practice to connect with fellow practitioners working in different industries and areas, to help each other learn, share ideas and adopt best practice. I hope this will be useful to me in developing my subject matter knowledge further, as well as in my role moving forward. 

    “I am so pleased to have gained Level 1 Associate Practitioner with Social Value International. This has enabled me to develop a robust understanding of the social value principles and the importance of these in generating genuine social value. I am looking forward to building on this knowledge and using it in my work in the future.” – Charlotte Sipi, Head of Social Sustainability

    Posted 24th January 2023
  • Jude McVitty now a Level 1 Associate Practitioner

    Jude McVitty now a Level 1 Associate Practitioner

    Social Value UK are proud to announce that our member, Jude McVitty, has achieved Level One Associate Practitioner status.

    “Version 1 proves that IT can make a real difference to our customers’ businesses. Established in 1996 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Version 1 is trusted by customers to deliver IT services and solutions which drive customer success. Our 2600+ strong team works closely with our technology partners to provide independent advice that helps our customers navigate the rapidly changing world of IT. Our customers include top global banks, many FTSE listed companies in the Financial Services, Utilities (incl. Oil & Gas, pan-European energy companies and major domestic water companies) and Commercial sectors as well as Public Sector organisations across local and central government. Our greatest strength is balance in our efforts to achieve Customer Success.”

    Ahead of this announcement, we had a discussion about our Practitioner Pathway and Jude’s experience with the Level One assessment process:

    Why have you decided to undertake the Social Value International Practitioner Pathway?

    A large part of what I do at Version 1 is sell. I sell the efficacy and sustainability of my organisation to customers, I sell the innovation and congeniality of the tech industry to community groups, and I sell the value of creating positive social impact to my organisation. This is necessary, valuable and I am good at it, but it is only ethical if I am making every effort to understand, and transparently reflect, our impact. The principals of SROI will ensure that our understanding of social impact has a framework that is focussed on people, allowing Social Value at Version 1 to advocate for their voice using language that the rest of the business can understand and methodology that has gained international recognition.

    What did you learn and find useful from this assessment process?

    I was lucky to have the full support of Version 1 to complete both the online training provided by SVUK and the assessment process for Level 1. One of my biggest take aways from the training group is that a lot of Social Value people, no matter what industry or sector, are all pushing in the same direction. There’s a whole discipline now, pushing for excellence and representing the voices of multiple stakeholders. It is pretty inspiring to be part of the movement.

    Now that you are a Level 1 Associate Practitioner what do you plan to do next to develop your practice? How do you plan to use your practitioner skills? 

    My first order of business as an accredited associate practitioner will be to carry out a full forecast SROI analysis on an upcoming programme. This will allow me to consolidate my understanding of the process, gain my Level 2 accreditation, and most importantly, inform the delivery model and impact measures for our upcoming initiative.

    In time, I am hoping to offer SROI analysis on projects/contracts that we deliver for our customers, allowing us to work with them to improve the social impact of our core business: IT Services.

    Are there any specific projects or activities you are doing at the moment that are related to SROI/social value?

    Social Value at Version 1 is currently delivering programmes for 15 customers across the UK. My biggest project at the minute is recruitment. We’re looking for a Social Value Associate to support our growth and deliver impactful initiatives for our customers. This will be a hybrid role, commuting to our London City office. Email jude.mcvitty@version1.com to find out more.

    You have now joined a community of practice around the globe. What does this mean to you and why do you want to participate and contribute to the development of the methodology and overall social value movement?

    I worked in community arts in Northern Ireland for a number of years and on the surface, we were doing good work. As time passed I began to become frustrated with the limitation of our impact, but in a competitive funding environment I struggled to find the language to express myself. To join a community of people who are defining and improving our understanding of impact will allow me to communicate better and advocate more effectively for social inclusion.

    “I’m very excited to continue my Social Return on Investment journey as a Level 1

    Associate Practitioner with Social Value International. Version 1 are committed to

    supporting the movement towards accountable and transparent value analysis.” – Jude McVitty

    For more information you can contact Jude via jude.mcvitty@version1.com

     

    Posted 12th January 2022
  • Consultation on Draft Standards for Principle 6: Be Transparent and Principle 7: Verify The Result

    Consultation on Draft Standards for Principle 6: Be Transparent and Principle 7: Verify The Result

    We are delighted to announce that the Draft Standards for Principle 6: Be Transparent (that includes an updated SVI Reporting Standard) and Principle 7: Verify the Result are now out for consultation.

    The main aim of this consultation is to receive feedback on the Draft SVI Standards for Principle 6 (Be Transparent), Principle 7 (Verify the result) and an updated SVI Reporting Standard. The deadline for this public consultation is 5pm Friday 17th February 2023.

    Social Value International is building a movement to transform the way organisations account for value, make decisions and achieve social goals. An important part of our movement is developing a principles-based approach for accounting for value and decision making. As a membership organisation they take pride in their work collaboratively creating standards and guidance for applying each principle, and these Draft Standards are a huge stepping stone in our collective ability to ensure consistency in approach and understanding across our global community.

    To download the Draft Standards or for more information on how to have you say, visit the Social Value International website.

    Posted 11th January 2023

     

     

  • Policies that save lives: Domestic Abuse and the Workplace

    Policies that save lives: Domestic Abuse and the Workplace

    Content Warning: this blog references personal experiences of domestic abuse. If you want more information or support with domestic abuse, please visit: https://refuge.org.uk/. 

    Can a workplace policy save a life? I know it can.  

    I’ve been volunteering as a trustee for the last eight years with Chester Women’s Aid, a small charity supporting victims of domestic abuse. 

    We give crisis grants to survivors at the point they flee an abusive situation or leave refuge to go into dispersed housing. 

    Over the years, we’ve seen patterns in the grant applications related to employment. For example, bus fare to get to and from work, extra cash to buy food because of unpaid time off, and even fees for GP referral letters for work. 

    My employer, the multinational logistics firm Kuehne+Nagel, has for the last four years placed a greater emphasis on health and wellbeing at work. It follows a worldwide shift in employment philosophy: employee wellbeing has proven to benefit the bottom line and must therefore be a critical part of any business strategy. 

    We began to talk about topics I had never heard discussed in the workplace in my professional life: cancer, neurodiversity, menopause, period poverty, death and grief, dyslexia, LGBTQ+ and minority experiences. It seemed almost no topic was off limits, but one was missing….domestic abuse. 

    In England and Wales alone, it is estimated 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will experience or have experienced domestic abuse in some form, and 74% of all victims of domestic abuse are women.  

    Office for National Statistics data has shown two women are killed a week by a current or former partner. 

    The types of domestic abuse vary, from financial, psychological and physical, to coercive control where the abuser uses intimidation, isolation and degradation to cut people off from the support they already have – including their jobs. 

    In 2009, a study was done to quantify the “cost” of domestic abuse to business, and it was estimated  £1.9 billion per year is lost due to worsened productivity in the form of time off, lost wages and sick pay.

    In 2020 and 2021, there were several high-profile murders of women in their workplaces by their current or former partners. The horrific events prompted Chester Women’s Aid to develop a domestic abuse awareness training programme aimed at employers. 

    The training taught owners, directors, HR managers and Mental Health First Aiders within a company what domestic abuse was, its impact in the workplace, and how those experiencing it could be supported. We found out that simple actions, such as swift changing of bank details or company phone numbers and shift hours, as well as time off to manage moving house, court dates, and childcare, could provide critical support to someone leaving and recovering from an abusive situation, while maintaining their employment. 

    It seemed a “no brainer” – the victim could get on their feet, while the employer retained talent and productivity with reduced safety and damage risks. 

    With this knowledge, I approached my own employer, Kuehne+Nagel, about developing a policy and delivering the awareness training to our business. They were incredibly supportive, and together with a HR policy manager, we managed to develop, approve, and roll out the policy within a year. 

    The training soon followed and as we promoted the new initiative, we heard stories from our colleagues and managers of “a time when”. 

    A time when they were scared or hurt and didn’t feel they could tell their manager. A manager who didn’t know their employee was being abused and thought they were underperforming for other reasons. 

    We learned of an example where an employee had disclosed being in abusive situation to a director and how the latter has managed the situation through intuition, without any formal guidance or policy to rely on. 

    We came to learn the Quality, Safety, Health and Environment team had not considered domestic abuse as a risk to safety at work for victims and their colleagues. 

    These stories reinforced the necessity of the policy and training, and generated moving and important discussions in the business. 

    It hadn’t taken long to develop a policy and yet it had the power to save lives. 

    Our policy and training and had unearthed issues we didn’t know existed in our company, yet had always been there. 

    Only 5% of UK employers have a specific policy or set of guidelines for domestic abuse.

    “I feel great satisfaction from the accomplishments in our charity and at my workplace, but I know we cannot stop there – there will always be new managers, new colleagues, and new developments to keep up with in terms of the policy.”

    Remote working adds new complexity – what happens when the “safe space” in an office is no longer available? 

    These concerns drive me to raise awareness of the role that employers have in providing a safe and supportive workplace. 

    We employ human beings experiencing a range of issues over their lifetimes, so when so many of them may face domestic abuse, we need to be educated and ready. 

    A policy really can save a life. 

     

    This blog was written by Angela Benson, UK Commercial Bid Manager at Kuehne + Nagel 

    Angela has worked in logistics for 20 years. Her current role is Senior Commercial Proposal manager where she provides consultation to sales owners on bid strategy and writes responses articulating the Social, Commercial, and Operational value of Kuehne+Nagel’s services. In her spare time, she volunteers as a trustee Chair for Chester Women’s Aid, who raise awareness of domestic abuse and funds for victims. Originally from the United States, she has worked in Asia, Europe, and now calls the UK home, along with her husband and son.

    Would you like to get involved…

    To be contribute to our upcoming themes please contact Matthew Mckew, Advocacy Lead at Social Value UK. We are interested in hearing from both members and non-members.  

    Matt Eamer, founder of me&you said; “I’m excited that my creative agency can support Social Value UK in its mission to raise awareness and understanding of social value. We’ll be creating visuals and graphics to help bring Social Value Perspectives to life, making the themes accessible for new audiences.“

    For media enquiries, please contact Isabelle Parasram OBE, CEO of Social Value UK, through our office by emailing info@socialvalueuk.org 

    Posted 9th January 2023

  • End of the year reflections from your Private Sector Lead…

    End of the year reflections from your Private Sector Lead…

    Our Private Sector Lead, Charlotte Österman, shares her thoughts on the year that’s been. 

    As we’re now closing up the year that has been, why not grab a festive drink and let’s reflect on what has happened. 2022 was for many of us, a year slightly less tainted by pandemics, but we entered new phase where uncertainty was still prevalent with geopolitical instability and national political turmoil. Shortage of workers, inflation and soaring energy prices were only some of the challenges I’ve heard businesses speak about. Nonetheless, the social value agenda didn’t fall off the radar and in fact, we have had a strong increase in private sector membership. 

    As we reflect, let’s dive into some of the updates I’d like to share with you:

    • Social Value Management Certificate interest increased. I’m seeing more organisations in the private sector start to take Principle 7 seriously and think about how to verify the result and systems. As a technical go-to-resource for private sector support, I’ve had a significant increase in questions about what this Certificate is and how to achieve it. Among some of the rising stars, we have Hanson who joined our membership, implemented new systems and within only a few months we’re already certified.  
    • Value Toolkit launched. Again, a huge thanks to our experts that a couple of years ago supported the definition of Social Capital that went into this cross-industry project for value-based decision-making across a built environment project life cycle. These free tools and resources are now available. 
    • Built Environment Thought Leadership Group took a new structure and emphasised People. This year our partner RealWorth proposed a series of workshops zooming in on Principle 1 and in three educational webinars shared and discussed this with the TLG’s participants. 
    • SDGs more linked to what we do. The central government Social Value Model already cross-references the Sustainable Development Goals for procurers to work with, but 2022 became the year when we got more resources from Social Value International and the management emphasis of impact became stronger through the SDG Impact Standards for Enterprise. 
    • ESG discussions and debates going strong. As we’ve seen an increase in influence and over 1/3 of assets now being channelled through an ESG lens, we’ve discussed and debated this with our membership through an ESG conference, Social Value International’s ESG month and in workshop delivery. Our members have fed into many of the important consultation internationally, such as ISSB’s. 
    • Conference mania. OK, not a bad mania, but we did really ramp up our conference schedule and organised two full private sector conferences on top of the annual MemEx event – where our members networked, presented and shared challenges and solutions. It was fantastic to see and feel the energy of the discussions both live and online. 
    • Increase in membership. Our overall membership numbers rose and in the private sector we went from 97 at the end of 2021 to 116 at the time of writing. This is a 20% increase and means that we around 70% of our organisational members are from the private sector. Amongst these new members we had a clear new uptake in the tech sector especially, with new members such as Microsoft, SocialOptic and Voi, but others that joined included Deloittes, KPMG and Samtaler. 

    So as my brew is slowly getting cold, I’ll stop listing things now at point seven. I know this does not capture the all the details of our work, but I hope it is enough to see how proud I am of the engagement of our private sector members – who are not only becoming more in numbers – but are increasingly taking further steps to embed meaningful social value practices into their work. 

    For 2023, we at SVUK will continue to support with more events, conference, workshops, tailored support and – stay tuned – a new website and online community! 

    But what would you like to see next year? Don’t forget to respond to our Members Survey (cash prizes up for grabs)!

    Take the survey HERE

    Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year. We look forward to continue working with you in 2023. 

    Posted 21st December 2022

  • New Organisational Members – Blackbullion

    New Organisational Members – Blackbullion

    Social Value UK is proud to announce Blackbullion have joined us as Organisational members! Ahead of their joining, Social Value UK spoke to them about their social value journey so far.

    “Blackbullion is a fintech company dedicated to delivering both meaningful financial wellness education and access to finance for young people. We are looking to build the largest single source of scholarships, grants, bursaries, and funding opportunities for students in the UK. To do this, we partner with universities and businesses to create and distribute scholarships, particularly to those students who are most in need.”

    Visit their website HERE

    Why do you think social value is important? In your organisation, your industry or in wider society?

    Social value is at the heart of every decision that we make in terms of how our service impacts young people. We believe that, by empowering young people with financial education and access to money, we will be able to 1) create positive outcomes for talented young people who find themselves in difficult circumstances, 2) enhance the collective financial knowledge of young people in UK, and 3) begin the level the playing field of progression into professional careers for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    More broadly, we believe that social value is important because it creates better outcomes for every stakeholder involved in any business decision. Considering the needs of all those impacted by a company’s choices, and pushing for actions that enhance the lives of the many, rather than the few, creates greater economic stability, more sustainable business practices, and brings the best ideas to light, regardless of the source.

    What are your plans for your SVUK membership?

    We are hoping to develop a framework that allows us to calculate a tangible SROI for our Scholarships model. We are also hoping to contribute to the SVUK network through our expertise in Social Mobility and social value creation within the Education industry. Finally, we are hoping to network with other companies who are dedicated to creating social value, in the hopes that some may look to invest in creating scholarships and helping us to achieve our primary business goals.

    “Blackbullion is excited to join the Social Value UK network and looks forward to progressing the understanding of how investing in youth, and in education, can lead to SROI for businesses around the UK.”

    Posted 15th December 2022