Are You Social Value Savvy?

Download Amy and Rebecca’s slides

To reflect on their insights and share them with your colleagues, please click below to download her slides.

Amy Hazlehurst: Why Social Value Matters

Social value is no longer something optional or “nice to have” in public procurement. It is embedded in policy and legislation, and every major contract now carries requirements that go beyond the basic scope of works. The heart of social value is about unlocking wider benefits – improving health and wellbeing, supporting the local economy, protecting the environment, and driving innovation.

These themes are structured through frameworks such as the National TOMs – standing for Themes, Outcomes and Measures – which help buyers and suppliers to define and quantify what social value looks like. These provide consistency across procurement, but also the flexibility to select measures that are most relevant to the contract and the community it will impact. For example, one contract might emphasise local job creation and apprenticeships, while another prioritises carbon reduction or community volunteering.

Social value is not something to add on at the end. It’s something that should be baked in from the minute you start thinking about your contracts, pre-market engagement, and working with your suppliers. Making sure that it’s delivered and monitored all the way through a contract.

Social value commitments usually account for 7–10% of the overall evaluation, and, while this may seem modest, it is frequently decisive. Suppliers are assessed both on the commitments they put forward and on the credibility of their delivery plan. To do this fairly, evaluators often draw on expertise from across departments, for instance, an environmental officer scoring carbon pledges – to ensure bids are judged by the right people.

It is also not enough for suppliers to put attractive numbers into a calculator; they must be able to explain how outcomes will be achieved and how delivery will be tracked. This dual focus, on both ambition and practicality, is what ensures that social value delivers genuine, additional benefits rather than being a paper exercise.

Rebecca Oxby: Social Value in Action

At South Tyneside Council, social value commitments are now a standard expectation rather than an optional extra.

The council selects a handful of relevant measures for each contract, rather than applying every possible theme. These usually fall across jobs and growth, environmental sustainability, social and community benefits, and innovation. Subject matter experts from within the council are then brought in to score commitments in their area, ensuring that evaluation is accurate and consistent.

The council maintains a central log of all social value commitments, meets regularly with suppliers, and ensures evidence is provided for every pledge. This evidence is proportionate to the claim – invoices to show local spend, initials and postcodes for local hires, or fuel invoices and meter readings to back up carbon reductions. High-value contracts are prioritised, but all suppliers are expected to account for what they promised.

South Tyneside has already seen tangible results. On a road realignment scheme, contractors cut thousands of travel miles by using low-emission vehicles, powered site operations with renewable energy, and offset significant carbon emissions. On a town hall refurbishment, the supplier invested locally, engaged schools, and reduced car travel, despite the contract lasting only a few months.

Challenges remain, particularly around evidencing carbon savings and supporting smaller suppliers who may lack resources. However, by providing guidance and encouraging early conversations when difficulties arise, the council is creating a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.

Our current approach to social value is that it’s mandatory to include social value in contracts that are over £100,000. That is part of our council constitution.

Why This Matters

Social value is changing procurement. Contracts are no longer judged on cost alone – they are judged on the benefits they bring to people, places, and the planet. 

For organisations, this means thinking differently. Every bid is now a chance to embed low-carbon transport, reduce emissions, support local people into work, and strengthen communities. 

Social value can leave a legacy; when combined with practical monitoring and real-world delivery, procurement can become a driver of sustainable change. 

Travel is the UK’s largest source of carbon emissions, yet reducing single-occupancy car use is one of the most immediate and measurable ways organisations can deliver environmental and social impact. By enabling zero carbon commuting and measuring commuter emissions through organisations such as Mobilityways, employers can not only meet their procurement obligations but also meet their net-zero goals

Download Amy and Rebecca’s slides

To reflect on their insights and share them with your colleagues, please click below to download her slides.