WINNS Services, has retained its Construction Line Gold Certificate again, but with the added bonus of the Social Value Certificate.
(What does this represent?)
Since the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act back in Jan 2013, people who commission public services have been required to think about how they can also secure wider social, economic and environmental benefits.
Since then, the perceived importance of social value in procurement has grown exponentially, and it’s a topic which has hit headlines again recently, thanks to the government’s announcement of a pandemic inspired Levelling Up Fund promising a £4.8 billion investment in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK.
Social value is of particular relevance to public sector buyers and suppliers right now, thanks to new Public Sector Procurement Notices during 2020 and to recent calls from an influential House of Lords committee for the government to ensure the forthcoming Procurement Bill is ‘purpose-driven’. However, as public awareness grows, many private sector organisations are also starting to pay close attention to Social Values.
Social value is something that the customers and stakeholders of WINNS Services increasingly expect us to demonstrate, and are increasingly likely to be following environmental and social governance (ESG) principles in their supplier choices. So, while the essence of social value is premised on putting people before profit, it’s also becoming a commercial approach for organisations of all types and sizes.