Social Values Guide

Social Value is simple. It is about providing opportunities for environmental, social and economic outcomes that benefit the people and society around us as we conduct our daily business. It is sometimes referred to as ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ and many businesses and companies in the UK are starting to see that they can be part of the solution to some of today’s challenges we face as a society.

Why is social value important?

All public authorities within the UK, including schools, are encouraged to embed Social Value into their contracts. This can come from legislation, policies, best practice, voluntary behaviour, or even cultural pressures (i.e. Corporate Social Responsibility). Below is a snapshot the main drivers for Social Value in procurement within the UK:

How Do I Demonstrate My Company’s Input to Generating Social Value?

Social value in the context of procurement falls into three main headings. Environmental, Social and Economic outcomes, in Wales this also includes ‘Cultural’ outcomes.

Increased local employment opportunities

Recycling opportunities / Purchase of recycled sources

Better supply chain opportunities for SMEs, Social Enterprises and Third Sector

Improve health & wellbeing

Social Value in Action

2buy2 has worked with suppliers across several sectors to map out how their companies can help to deliver Social Value, examples included:

Catering

- Use of Class II ‘ugly’ fruit and veg to avoid waste.
- Recycle cooking oil into biofuel.
- Minimise/record all food wastage.
- Biodegradable / compostable waste (where possible).
- Environmentally friendly chemicals (where possible).
- AAA rated items when sourcing new equipment.
- Discourage single-use plastic, take away cutlery is wooden or paper.
- Help build worm farms at school site for composting.
- Focus on reducing milage in the supply chain / amongst staff.
- Identify ways to minimise carbon footprint.
- Re-useable water bottles implemented (and purchased) for all students.
- Use of organic produce.
- Clean plate rewards schemes to avoid wastage.
- Milage reduction / staff car share incentives.
- Work with schools to obtain Salix funding, to help reduce the carbon emissions from buildings/equipment.
- Vegetable gardens grown within the school, with the help of students, and the produce is used within the menu.
- Install food digestion equipment so that all waste can be digested and released into drainage, reducing waste disposal costs.
- No charge for jugs of water or 'hydration stations' use.
- Training / Apprenticeship programmes / work experience.
- Buying produce from local suppliers.
- Mock interviews and CV writing classes with students, including mock interviews.
- Aggregation of spend for 'economies of scale'.
- Attend and promote careers fairs.
- Avoid use of agency staff and aim to recruit locally.
- Training of all staff and upskilling.
- Stagger mealtimes at busy schools allowing all students a comfortable amount of time to purchase their meals.
- Cashless/pre-paid payment methods, providing greater certainty to the parents (i.e. confirming that the money has been spent on school meals and not elsewhere).
- Source food from accredited suppliers (e.g. Food for Life).
- Donation of excess food to local charities.
- Volunteering / supporting charities.
- Student council groups to look at recycling initiatives etc.
- Gardening and cookery clubs.
- Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing days.
- Healthy eating assemblies.
- 'Smoothie bikes' (pedal powered blenders).
- Community partnerships.
- 'Kitchen sessions' run with nutritionists.
- Support curriculum delivery.
- Facilitate trips to supply chain (e.g. farms).
- Educational sheets / themed weeks (e.g. harvest).
- Offer work experience to people with disabilities.
- Delivery of food hampers to those students in need during school closures.
- Menu development with stakeholders.

Cleaning

- Environmentally friendly chemicals (where possible).
- Reducing electricity/water usage (where possible).
- Energy efficient equipment (when newly bought).
- Recycling programmes with schools.
- Focus on reducing mileage in the supply chain / amongst staff.
- Identify ways to minimise carbon footprint.
- Strong environmental policies.
- Mileage reduction / staff car share incentives.
- Support cycle to work schemes and use of public transport for staff.
- Planting of trees for every £ spent etc.
- Training / Apprenticeship programmes / work experience.
- Mock interviews and CV writing classes with students, including mock interviews.
- Aggregation of spend for 'economies of scale'.
- Attend and promote careers fairs.
- National Living wage paid to employees.
- Avoid use of agency staff and aim to recruit locally.
- Training of all staff and upskilling.
- Targeting local areas with high levels of unemployment when advertising new roles.
- Promoting Social Value within their supply chains (e.g. suppliers who offer apprenticeships).
- Volunteering / supporting charities.
- Community partnerships.
- Offer work experience to people with disabilities.
- Sponsorship of local/school sports teams.
- Sourcing chemicals from accredited suppliers / transparency within the supply chain.
- Support curriculum delivery.
- Promoting and incorporating staff well-being.
- Provide opportunities for all, including the most vulnerable.

Social Values Guide

Why is social value important?

Scotland

England

Wales

Northern Ireland