What Is Social Value? The 9 Standards Used in Accreditation
At Social Value Quality Mark (SVQM), we believe social value means more than good intentions. It’s about delivering measurable, positive change for people, communities, and the environment. To achieve that, organisations need a clear, consistent way to assess, evidence, and improve their social value.
That’s where the 9 Standards come in. These standards form the foundation of every SVQM accreditation, providing an independent, audit-ready framework to demonstrate credible, measurable social value.
Why Social Value Needs Independent Accreditation
Social value is now an expectation in public procurement, ESG reporting, and ethical business certification. Buyers, funders, and communities want more than promises. They want evidence.
SVQM provides an independent quality mark – similar to an ISO standard. It verifies your organisation’s culture, behaviours, processes, and delivery. Our accreditations help organisations to:
- Strengthen bids and government tenders with verified social value indicators
- Align activities to procurement requirements and the Social Value Model
- Improve ESG strategies with structured, measurable impact
- Achieve ethical business certification that reflects real-world outcomes
- Build trust with stakeholders through transparent reporting
Whether you’re starting your social value journey or preparing for your next accreditation level, the 9 Standards support measurable progress.
The 9 Social Value Standards Explained
The SVQM Standards guide how social value is planned, delivered, evidenced, and embedded across your organisation. Each standard below explains the expectation with practical examples and measurable indicators to help you prepare.
1. Plan
Social value planning is aligned to business goals with the right processes, skills, and infrastructure in place.
Examples: Social value strategy embedded in business planning, staff training programmes, stakeholder engagement plans.
Indicators: Documented social value strategy, skills development records, stakeholder feedback.
2. Demonstrate
Strategies and activities are delivered with clear, positive, measurable outcomes. They are managed for continuous improvement.
Examples: Employment initiatives, wellbeing programmes, supply chain improvements.
Indicators: Number of jobs created, wellbeing survey results, supply chain data.
3. Calculate
Both financial and non-financial value is reported transparently, using recognised social value indicators. Positive and negative values are reported.
Examples: Use of recognised social value indicators, economic impact reporting, sustainability metrics.
Indicators: Financial proxies, CO₂ reductions, social value calculators, qualitative case studies.
4. Eco System
Stakeholders, suppliers, and partners are engaged meaningfully and ethically, with clear evidence of impact.
Examples: Inclusive procurement practices, partnerships with social enterprises, co-designed projects.
Indicators: Supplier diversity data, partnership agreements, stakeholder consultation records.
5. Report
Social value is reported fairly and consistently, including both positive and negative outcomes. Trust levels are reported.
Examples: Social value reports, impact dashboards, transparent disclosures.
Indicators: Published reports, balanced impact statements, third-party reviews.
6. Performance Manage
Social value insights drive strategic decisions and continuous improvement. All departments are actively engaged.
Examples: Regular performance reviews, outcome tracking, action plans for improvement.
Indicators: KPIs achieved, monitoring reports, documented improvements.
7. Trust
Fairness, inclusion, and ethical decision-making are embedded across your organisation.
Examples: Inclusive recruitment, fair pay policies, satisfaction scores, safeguarding measures.
Indicators: Workforce diversity data, independent reviews, Real Living Wage adoption, ethics policies.
8. Influence & Leadership
The organisation uses its influence to drive positive change, internally and externally.
Examples: Leadership-led social value initiatives, board-level reporting, external advocacy.
Indicators: Board minutes, leadership statements, participation in social value networks.
9. Culture
Employees at all levels are actively involved in creating social value.
Examples: Staff engagement initiatives, social value training, cross-department collaboration.
Indicators: Staff surveys, training records, examples of cross-functional working.
Do I need to meet all 9 Standards?
No. The number of standards assessed depends on your accreditation level. You can start at Bronze and progress through Silver, Gold, and Platinum, building your evidence along the way.
See how the standards apply across our accreditation levels.
How Standards Support Social Value Success
Many of our accredited organisations operate in sectors like healthcare, infrastructure, digital services, and facilities management, where demonstrating social value is essential for public procurement.
- The SVQM Standards align with the Social Value Model, Procurement Act, and national frameworks to help organisations:
- Embed measurable, evidence-based social value in bids and tenders
- Align with ESG reporting and ethical business certification
- Strengthen competitive positioning for public sector contracts
- Build trust through independently verified accreditation
- Be more intentional and impactful in your community-focussed delivery
In the private sector, customers and job-seekers increasingly choose organisations whose values align with theirs. The SVQM:
- Tells your customers you are active in their communities for the causes they care about
- Tells your staff and future talent that you invest in their development and wellbeing
- Tells your shareholders and investors that you operate ethically for sustainable growth
For all sectors, the process of gaining accreditation helps deepen understanding of social impact. You’ll learn how to intentionally measure and develop it for the benefit of your people, business and communities.
Whether you’re bidding for new contracts or strengthening your existing approach, SVQM provides the independent framework to demonstrate social value backed by evidence.
Want to see how organisations apply these standards in practice? Explore our Success Stories.
Measuring Social Value: What We Look For in Measurement and Reporting
At SVQM, we focus on much more than metrics and measures. The accreditation assesses your processes, governance, behaviours and delivery – in other words, how you are set up to support social value creation.
When it comes to measurement, we particularly welcome evidence based on outcomes – i.e. the meaningful changes that have taken place for your stakeholders – not just activities.
SVQM recognises measures based on any reputable social value methodology – whether National TOMs, Global Value Exchange, HACT, SROI, Wellby or other industry-specific approach. We also recognise evidence supplied through various tools and platforms – from basic Excel sheets, to tools such as MeasureUp, Impact Reporting, Thrive, Loop and more.
When reporting your impact, it’s important to be clear on terminology as follows:
- Inputs: Time, money, expertise invested
- Outputs: Activities delivered (e.g., employability workshops delivered)
- Outcomes: The change created (e.g., greater understanding of and desire to work in your industry)
- Impact: Long and short-term difference made (e.g. more people entering jobs or training, retaining employment)
- Value: The benefit estimated in financial terms, (e.g. value of employment) or social terms (increased independence, wellbeing).
Thinking about measurement in this way helps you to be clear on the journey of change, from input to value. It also helps avoid double-counting.
Looking for a practical method? Learn how to calculate social value.
Preparing for Accreditation: Building Readiness
To get started with Bronze, the main requirement is a genuine commitment to your people and communities, and a willingness to work through the process. You’ll be asked to make measurable pledges, define what social value means to your organisation, and establish basic governance. You’ll also create (or provide) a roadmap showing how you intend to deliver your commitments.
For Silver and above, SVQM offers a formal Pre-Audit Service, designed to assess your evidence, highlight gaps, and provide a clear action plan to improve your readiness for independent accreditation.
Some organisations choose to build confidence through external consultancy before undertaking a Pre-Audit. Services like those offered by Social Value Business (SVB) can help strengthen your evidence, but working with SVB is not required to apply for accreditation.
Explore Further: Strengthen Your Social Value Approach
This page is part of our hub to help you achieve measurable, independently verified social value.
You may also find these useful:
Frequently Asked Questions
Social Value Business (SVB) provides consultancy, tools, and support to strengthen your strategy, measurement, and reporting. SVB is a founding member of SVQM, but using their services is optional.
- 9 Standards: Used in SVQM assessments to measure planning, delivery, reporting, and culture.
9 Themes: Broader impact areas where organisations can focus their social value pledges. These are explained in more detail on the Social Value Themes page.
SVQM is an independent Community Interest Company focused exclusively on social value accreditation. We offer a nationally recognised, audit-ready approach that aligns with procurement expectations and supports ethical business certification.
Whereas B-Corp certification is global, the SVQM is designed specifically for the needs of UK systems and communities. We pride ourselves on being accessible to smaller organisations with tiered fees based on your size and turnover.
It’s both. The SVQM Standards provide a structured, consistent way to measure social value, but they also assess whether values like fairness, inclusion, and transparency are embedded in your organisation’s culture and decision-making.
That’s okay. Bronze accreditation is a gentle starting point which helps you establish best practice and set the foundations – you’ll learn as you go. At Silver and above, many organisations opt for our Pre-Audit Service, which helps assess your current position, identify gaps, and reduce risk before pursuing full accreditation.
No. The number of standards assessed depends on your accreditation level. You can start at Bronze and progress through Silver, Gold, and Platinum, building your evidence along the way.
We look for measurable and qualitative outcomes backed by credible evidence. This can include data, stakeholder feedback, case studies, reports, and examples of positive and negative impact.
Start Your Accreditation Journey with Confidence
Whether you’re preparing for public sector contracts, building trust, or embedding measurable social value across your organisation, SVQM provides the independent accreditation to support your success.
We help you:
- Align with recognised standards and national frameworks
- Strengthen your procurement bids with measurable, evidence-based outcomes
- Build confidence through our Pre-Audit Service
- Progress through Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum accreditation levels
SVQM is here to help you deliver social value that is meaningful, independently verified, and ready for procurement success.
