As legislation makes Social Value a core procurement deliverable, and global businesses get serious about impact, having a formalised Social Value approach expressed as a policy is fast becoming non-negotiable.
But writing a policy that attracts attention and inspires action can be daunting. That’s why we’ve created this guide – to give you an actionable roadmap (plus a free downloadable prompt sheet to get you started!)
💡 New to Social Value? Read our guide
👉 Want to jump straight into the template? Download our free Social Value policy prompt sheet
What is a Social Value policy and why does it matter?
Various types of organisations develop and publish Social Value policies, from local authorities like Manchester City Council to strategic suppliers like Balfour Beatty. But what are they actually for?
A strong Social Value policy represents fundamental decisions about what kind of positive change you want to create, how you’ll deliver it, and who will be accountable.
“Externally, a Social Value policy strengthens credibility by demonstrating to stakeholders that your commitments are well-considered and anchored within operational decisions. Internally, it sets the tone across every part of the business by giving teams a shared understanding of what Social Value means for your organisation and how they’re enabled to contribute.”
Ed Lang, Head of Strategic Advisory, Social Value Portal
A good Social Value policy should address:
- Purpose and audience: Why the policy exists and who it’s for. Where public sector organisations will likely want their Social Value policy to inform potential bidders, businesses may wish to speak to investors, clients, and staff.
- Scope and focus areas: The material, societal issues your organisation will prioritise.
- Commitments and actions: Specific, measurable pledges linked to your operations.
- Governance and accountability: Who is responsible and how progress will be tracked.
- Measurement and reporting: Metrics, review cycles, and how results will be shared.
Crucially, your Social Value policy shouldn’t be a bundle of bolt-on initiatives. It should be fundamentally tied to your purpose, core activities, and strategic objectives.
Do you need a Social Value policy – or a Social Value strategy?
There’s a famous riddle: what came first, the Social Value policy or the Social Value strategy?
Okay, we may have made that one up. But it really is worth asking before you start writing – are you ready for a Social Value Policy?
In fact, at Social Value Portal, we often advise clients not to start with a policy if there’s no Social Value strategy in place. Why? Because a policy is the continuation of a well-considered strategy, not the starting point.
Ultimately, your policy should flow naturally from your strategy, not serve as a substitute.
💡 Top tip: To ensure you understand the wider context of the Social Value landscape and government priorities, we recommend familiarising yourself with the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, the National Procurement Policy Statement, the Procurement Act 2023, and Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 002.
Four steps to developing a Social Value policy that drives change
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Step 1: Define your ‘Why’ – Set clear objectives
Start by answering the question: why are we doing this?
The drivers may be external (credibility in bids, aligning to local or central government policy priorities) internal (setting expectations for staff and suppliers, accountability for leadership commitments), or a mixture.
Either way, identifying the need early on will give your policy focus and relevance.
📝 Outcome: A clear articulation of purpose and audience – e.g., procurement teams, suppliers, staff, communities.
Step 2: Focus your ‘What’ – identify material issues
No organisation can do everything, so prioritise where you can make the biggest difference. Consider:
- Alignment with national/local policy (such as Net Zero or the Five Missions)
For example, if a manufacturing business is aware of a local talent shortage, they might use their resources and inherent expertise to tackle this challenge by creating apprenticeships and hosting career days at local schools.
📝 Outcome: A shortlist of priority areas (e.g. apprenticeships, SME spend, net zero, community wellbeing).
Step 3: Plan your ‘How’ – Set measurable commitments
Avoid vague aspirations. Instead, use a Social Value measurement framework (such as the TOM System™) to define specific, measurable, and time-bound commitments and success measures. These might include:
- Quantitative metrics (apprenticeships created, percentage of spend with small businesses, tonnes of carbon reduced)
- Qualitative measures (case studies and feedback from communities).
It’s also important to note that a Social Value policy without accountability won’t deliver. Decide who owns it and how responsibility will be shared – as well as key delivery partners, such as Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprises (VCFSEs).
You might have a centralised model, with one team owning the policy and driving delivery, or a decentralised approach, with different elements embedded across functions (e.g., procurement leading supplier engagement and HR leading apprenticeships and skills).
📝 Outcome: A monitoring and reporting framework with targets, success measures, and review cycles, and a governance model with clear accountability.
Step 4: Publish, promote, and refine
Your Social Value policy doesn’t have to be limited to a branded Word document. Think about different formats that bring it to life, like infographics, explainer videos, or intranet pages.
When it comes to promotion, be sure to use all relevant channels, from publishing it on your website and integrating it into procurement packs, to training staff on what it means for their roles.
Finally, build in review cycles. Your policy should evolve as your organisation and community priorities do.
📝 Outcome: A policy that inspires action, is visible across channels, and evolves with your organisation.
Do’s and don’ts for your Social Value policy
Here’s a simple playbook of Do’s and Don’ts, with real examples of what a weak policy looks like, and how it can be transformed into something clear, actionable, and credible.
We’ve also flagged which ones are particularly relevant to the public or private sector, and which ones are key for both.
💼 Private sector
Do: Tailor your policy to your business’s material issues.
Don’t: Copy-paste generic ESG boilerplate or local government policies.
Before: “We care about people, place, and planet.”
After: “We will use our regular hiring schedule to create 50 local apprenticeships, direct at least 20% of procurement spend to SMEs in our supply chain, and cut business travel emissions by 40% by 2030.”
🏛️ Public sector
Do: Guide bidders by communicating local priorities and weightings.
Don’t: Leave priorities open-ended or apply inconsistent Social Value criteria.
Before: “We encourage suppliers to contribute to the wellbeing of our communities.”
After: “Our Social Value approach prioritises skills development, SME participation, and carbon reduction. Social Value accounts for a minimum of 15% of the evaluation score in all procurements above X threshold.”
🌍 Public + Private sector
Do: Make your policy specific, measurable, and time-bound.
Don’t: Stop at vague aspirations with no delivery plan.
Before: “We’re committed to reducing our carbon footprint.”
After: “We will achieve net zero across operations by 2030, supported by a published carbon reduction roadmap and annual progress reports.”
Do: Be clear on who owns what elements of Social Value.
Don’t: Be vague about who is ultimately accountable.
Before: “The organisation will deliver Social Value.”
After: “Procurement will integrate Social Value criteria, HR will create local apprenticeships, and Facilities will prioritise community benefit when commissioning new sites — all with oversight from the executive team.”
Do: Set ambitious but realistic targets tied to what you can control.
Don’t: Overpromise or exaggerate.
Before: “We will reduce unemployment rates by 25% in the communities local to our sites.”
After: “We will employ 20 previously unemployed people within the next five years.”
Do: Bring your policy to life in formats people will actually use.
Don’t: Leave it in a single, static format to gather dust.
Before: A Word document nobody reads.
After: A core policy document supported by an infographic for staff, a webinar for suppliers, and a short explainer video for stakeholders.
Ready to get started?
👉 Download our free Social Value Policy Prompt Sheet for a step-by-step checklist you can use with your team.
And if you’d like support along the way, our consulting team can help you go further. Get in touch with us to start the conversation.
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