Social Value is a crucial requirement in Local Authority procurement. In this blog Kate Gräfe outlines key elements procurers seek in Social Value responses, including understanding local priorities, ability to deliver locally, proven track record, and SMART deliverables. Following these guidelines can help suppliers maximise meaningful Social Value delivery and score highly in tenders.

Louise Griffiths, Samtaler’s Social Value Consultant, embarked on her journey with a passion for making a meaningful impact. Now, with over two years of experience under her belt, she reflects on the importance of networking, joining professional memberships, and committing to continuous learning. These key insights have been vital in shaping her successful career in social value.

Lorraine Cox, Director of STAR Procurement and Chair of the National Social Value Taskforce, shares her insights on why social value is more than just a buzzword — it's a vital approach to creating real benefits for communities. Discover the role of the Taskforce, upcoming changes in the Procurement Act, and how organisations can ensure every pound spent has maximum impact.

Community benefit funds are place-based funds from the owners of renewable energy projects, who will provide an annual payment for community benefit. Typically, in Scotland, this is onshore wind. The initiative offers an opportunity for communities to work with renewable energy businesses for the long-term benefit of the community.

Social Value responses in tenders are increasingly pivotal for UK public procurement success. This blog breaks down key strategies for crafting concise, high-scoring Social Value answers within strict word limits. Learn how to focus on buyer requirements, provide clear, SMART commitments, and leverage proven examples. These approaches will help suppliers effectively communicate their impact and maximise their tender scores.

We are so passionate about social value being a real mechanism for benefit either environmentally, socially or economically being delivered, so less is more. When you write a really focused question it gets really focused responses, and then you are more likely to contract manage it well.

Auticon is a social enterprise, so it's very much a case of our social mission driving everything we do. Our social mission really is focused on two things. The first thing is creating employment opportunities for autistic adults, and the second part is much more broad - creating awareness and education around neurodiversity as a whole. We work by recruiting and training people with autism to become IT consultants.

Explore how to maximise social value opportunities with the "Guide to Social Value for London's Micro and Small Businesses." This comprehensive guide, written by Samtaler for the London Anchor Institutions' Network offers practical advice for MSMEs to incorporate social value into their practices, helping them stand out in tenders and contribute positively to their communities.

Nicola is a Social Impact and Evaluation specialist and is one of only a handful of accredited Social Value & SROI trainers in the UK.  

Here, she talks us through what social value means, unpacks the language used around social value and takes us into a deeper understanding of theory of change and logic models.

In 5 Minutes with Rachel Stancliffe, we find out how sustainable healthcare combines environmental stewardship, financial prudence, and wellbeing in medicine. She highlights healthcare's carbon impact, particularly in pharmaceuticals and equipment, and emphasises strategies like prevention and low-carbon solutions. The blog also covers the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare's role in educating professionals and patients for systemic transformation.

Kate is our new Social Value Consultant at Samtaler, and we are delighted to have her onboard. Kate shares what brought her to Samtaler and what she wants to achieve in the next 12 months, professionally and personally.