News & Opinion
Read the latest updates from the Social Value Engine team.
How will the Community Wealth Building Bill be implemented in Scotland?
Scotland’s Community Wealth Building Bill will require every council to measure and demonstrate local impact by 2026. Will we build 32 separate measurement systems, or connect to shared infrastructure that already exists?
Can Artificial Intelligence really help measure social value?
Measuring social value is difficult, but AI is being touted as a transformative solution to speed up reporting and cut through complexity. In this article we explore whether AI can truly deliver on this promise, or if it risks flattening essential human nuance for the sake of efficiency.
Social value washing: protecting the integrity of a good idea
Social value has become a cornerstone of UK procurement and economic development, shaping how councils, government bodies and contractors frame their responsibilities to communities. But as the agenda has grown, so too has the risk of “social value washing”: ambitious claims that look impressive on paper yet fail to deliver in practice.
AI-Enabled, Human-Led: A New Chapter for the Social Value Engine
We’re entering an exciting new era at the Social Value Engine, and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next.
Felicific Calculus, Doom Scrolling, and Offences Against Oneself (and a pickled head in a jar)
Recently a colleague mentioned the 18th century philosopher Jeremy Bentham, and I was immediately left pondering why the connection between Bentham and social value calculation
How charities and social enterprises can collaborate effectively for funding and impact
Collaboration is increasingly a condition of survival for charities and social enterprises. With funding stretched and competition intensifying, partnerships are often the only route to securing resources. But collaboration without genuine alignment risks failure. Establishing shared purpose, values, and measurement is now essential to delivering credible, community-focused social value.
Webinar: Getting started with social value
Are you new to social value and unsure where to begin? This practical and engaging webinar is designed to help you take your first confident steps.
What is the role of procurement in authentic social value delivery?
“Social value will be at the heart of this procurement.”
You’ve heard it. You might have said it. But what does it really mean — and more importantly, what does it ask of procurement?
Webinar: Maximising Social Value in Procurement: A Practical Workshop for Public Sector Buyers
Thursday 23 October, 9:30 – 11:00AM.
Join Socitm, Crown Commercial Service and the Social Value Engine for a practical workshop on Social Value in Procurement.
Webinar Recap: Measuring Impact in a Climate of Challenge and Change
Reflections from a recent webinar on social value, local government reform and system-wide learning.
Co-Design or Crisis: Rethinking procurement in the VCSE sector’s perfect storm
One year after their Open Letter to the Local Government Association, the VCSE voice is even more critical.
Webinar: Measuring Impact in a Climate of Challenge and Change
Local authorities across the UK are facing a pivotal moment. With the Government’s Devolution agenda reshaping structures and responsibilities, the ability to effectively measure, forecast, and communicate social and economic impact has never been more crucial.