What is Social Value & ESG?

Creating Measurable Impact for People, Communities, and the Environment.

Speak to a Social Value Specialist

Social Value: Beyond Financial Return

Social Value refers to the measurable, long-term benefits that organisations, projects, and investments create for people, communities, and the environment — going beyond purely financial outcomes. It captures intentional, evidence-based contributions that drive positive change through everyday operations, supply chains, and partnerships.

Social Value is no longer a voluntary “nice to have.” In procurement, investment, and regulated sectors, it is now central to how decisions are made, contracts are evaluated, and risks are managed. At Social Value Consultancy Ltd, we help organisations define, forecast, measure, and report their Social Value — embedding it across policy, procurement, and delivery.

Our approach is fully aligned with:
The Social Value Model (PPN 06/20)  |  The Procurement Act 2023 | HM Treasury’s Green Book Guidance |  Global sustainability frameworks, including the GRI Standards

The 5 Dimensions of Social Value

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Social Wellbeing

  • Promote mental health and workplace wellbeing
  • Advance equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)
  • Support vulnerable and underrepresented groups
  • Deliver education outreach and mentoring
  • Enable workplace health and wellness initiatives

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Economic Impact

  • Create jobs, apprenticeships, and local employment opportunities
  • Strengthen SME participation and local supply chains
  • Invest in skills development and lifelong learning
  • Encourage entrepreneurship and enterprise growth
  • Drive inclusive local economic development

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Environmental Benefits

  • Measure and reduce carbon emissions with science-based targets
  • Improve resource efficiency and adopt circular economy practices
  • Protect biodiversity and restore natural ecosystems
  • Promote sustainable transport and green logistics
  • Implement climate adaptation and nature-based solutions

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Community Engagement

  • Facilitate employee volunteering and community outreach
  • Build partnerships with charities and social enterprises
  • Strengthen community resilience through co-design
  • Support place-based wealth-building initiatives
  • Deliver impactful community-led projects
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Governance & Ethical Practices

  • Transparent governance and anti-corruption practices
  • Ethical sourcing and modern slavery due diligence
  • Data integrity and third-party assurance
  • Social value governance in procurement and board-level oversight
  • Adoption of recognised sustainability and ethical standards

What is ESG?

Environmental, Social & Governance: A Framework for Sustainability

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a structured framework used to assess how an organisation manages its sustainability performance, ethical conduct, and long-term resilience. ESG reporting enables organisations to disclose how they manage risks, comply with regulatory obligations, and deliver tangible environmental and social value.

While ESG reporting is typically enterprise-wide, Social Value often applies at project or contract level, particularly within procurement. At SVC Ltd, we help organisations integrate these approaches into a single, coherent strategy to drive value and transparency.
We support full alignment with international and national frameworks, including:

GRI Standards  |  EU CSRD & ESRS  |  IFRS Sustainability Standards  |  UN Sustainable Development Goals  |

The UK Social Value Model (PPN 06/20) and its updated guidance in PPN 002

The Three Pillars of ESG

Environmental - Impact on the planet

  • Carbon measurement and verified emissions reporting
  • Net zero planning and science-based targets
  • Circular economy and sustainable resource use
  • Biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration
  • Climate resilience and nature-based solutions
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Social - Impact on people an society

  • Workforce wellbeing and inclusion
  • Fair pay, labour rights, and ethical working conditions
  • Community investment and impact measurement
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusive hiring practices
  • Education, training, and upskilling opportunities

Governance – Ethical leadership and accountability

  • Board oversight and ESG risk governance
  • Regulatory compliance and ethics transparency
  • Responsible data handling and impact assurance
  • Integration of ESG into core business strategy
  • Alignment with international reporting frameworks

We also guide organisations through materiality and double materiality assessments; to ensure ESG disclosures are both stakeholder-relevant and regulator-ready.

Why Social Value & ESG Matter

Organisations that embed Social Value and ESG into their operations benefit from:

Procurement success

Improved evaluation scores and contract wins

Access to capital

Meeting investor expectations and ESG-linked funding criteria

Stronger reputation

Building brand trust and stakeholder loyalty

Regulatory compliance

Readiness for CSRD, SDR, PPNs and future ESG mandates

Organisational resilience

Future-proofing against social and environmental risk

At SVC Ltd, we provide the tools and expertise to help you navigate complexity, demonstrate impact, and unlock strategic value.