Celebrating 10 years of social value, the National Social Value Conference 2022 kicked off in Westminster in London.
A key part of the conference’s discussions is to be framed around “shaping the trajectory of the next decade” – understanding how greater collaboration can be achieved between public and private sector organisations in introducing and accelerating social value.
As one of the opening panel discussions of the day described: “Social value is still in its early days.
“Culture change still needs to happen to understand how procurement and social value can work together.
“The private sector is slowly catching up.”
To support them in catching up, the public sector has taken a number of key steps and initiatives. Just recently, we saw the NHS introduce social value requirements into procurement contracts, following the approach already taken by many public sector organisations and local authorities.
Social Value Portal CEO Guy Battle added, as he opened the day’s proceedings: “Social value is about being accountable.
“It's about making the public pound go further and most of all, it's about doing good business”
Attendees also heard from Chris White, the author of the Social Value Act, discuss how progress was being made 10 years on from its initial introduction.
Spoiler – there has already been £100bn of public spending to support social value efforts and cultural change. Now, it is the duty of public and private sector organisations to continue to drive forward that positive change.
Taking place at Church House in Westminster – a grade II-listed building – there is a range of keynote speakers and panellists who will break down what social value means in 2022, as well as live-streamed sessions for those who are unable to attend in person.
The conference is taking place in person on Day One (today, April 27, 2022) and then virtually during Day Two (tomorrow, April 28, 2022).
Tomorrow’s conversations will include topics such as embedding social value into planning, and how this can feed into delivering on climate justice and the zero carbon agenda.
Keep up to date with the National Social Value Conference 2022 on social media through the hashtag #NSVC22.
