With social value in construction, a lot of time and attention goes to improving the procurement process itself. And it makes sense. After all, procuring goods and services accounts for around a third of all public expenditure. It’s where a lot of social value can be generated. Creating high-quality bids to win competitive contracts is always going to be a priority for your organisation. But that doesn’t mean that this is where the hard work should begin.
Winning contracts is largely about trust. And the more you demonstrate a commitment to doing better for people and the planet, the more buyers will be willing to put their trust in you. This is why we advocate for taking a wider approach to social value. One that starts long before procurement even begins. And today, we’ve got three examples of how you can work to strengthen your social impact early on.
Choose the right projects
Social value in procurement is about working together. It’s a partnership between buyer and suppliers with the goal of extracting as much value from every pound of the public’s money. And critical to maximising your value is carefully considering the projects and partnerships you’re involved in.
Where possible, choose projects and buyers who share your vision for doing better.
Do your research into a buyer’s social value strategy prior to procurement to see where they overlap with your own. Look for mission statements and goals that you can realistically contribute towards. Even better if they’re similar to work you’re already doing in other projects.
To unlock as much value as possible, you want to look for the best possible fit in terms of projects and partners. And this involves doing a little more due diligence before deciding which projects you tender for.
Rethink what social value means to your organisation
A common social value challenge has been a lack of common understanding. Despite the wealth of social value available in construction projects, we still lack a robust, consistent approach across the industry. To combat this, take some time pre-procurement to get clear on what social value means to you.
You can’t change the wider industry’s approach or understanding overnight. But the more in-tune you are with your own priorities, goals, and capabilities, the more attractive you’ll be to buyers.
This might mean engaging in early conversations with staff, partners, and stakeholders to recognise what your strengths and areas of improvement are. Looking beyond employment, apprenticeships, and carbon emissions to uncover the many unique ways you can change lives and communities. By doing this groundwork in advance, you show buyers that you’re self-assured and committed to your social value journey.
Carry out community engagement
Social value cannot be created in isolation. If you’re setting out to change lives and communities, you want to be engaging with them directly.
By carrying out community engagement in your target project areas, you build a fuller understanding of where you can have the greatest impact. You can speak to local people, charities, and organisations, uncovering the most pressing local needs. Before then using this insight to shape and strengthen your chosen bids.
This way, when it comes to tendering for contracts, you show buyers an in-depth, local understanding. You’ll demonstrate a passion for helping this specific place and project, as opposed to taking a blanket approach to all.
Your organisation’s impact is essential to winning future contracts. But to have the greatest success, you’re going to want to consider social value long before procurement gets underway. By doing enough research and planning ahead of time, you can put yourself in an even stronger position to stand out and get ahead.
The Impact platform makes capturing the full impact of your projects simple. With decentralised data capture, real-time dashboards, and ongoing contract management, it’s never been easier to demonstrate your full value to staff, buyers, and stakeholders. To find out more, schedule a demo or get in touch with the team on 0161 532 4752.