Why Definitions Matter in Accreditation and Procurement
Understanding what is meant by social value is essential for any organisation aiming to align with the UK’s evolving public procurement standards. As expectations around transparency and impact increase, a vague or inconsistent definition can undermine credibility, weaken tenders and lead to failed audits.
At Social Value Quality Mark (SVQM), we independently assure social value for organisations and projects. . Whether you're an SME bidding for contracts or a larger firm building ESG credentials, a consistent definition sets the foundation for recognised impact.
Social value should ideally be embedded within business goals and values. It guides respectful behaviour, shapes social relations and promotes societal well-being. Social value reflects what a society considers important, from fairness and cooperation to inclusion and transparency. It promotes sustainable growth in terms of supply chains, workforce and investment in the skills an organisation needs for the future.
Social Value vs CSR vs ESG: What’s the Difference?
The terms social value, CSR and ESG are often used interchangeably, but each has a distinct purpose. Understanding these differences is critical for organisations responding to procurement requirements or pursuing formal accreditation.
| Term | What It Means | Common Use | Example |
| CSR | Corporate Social Responsibility. Often voluntary and brand-driven. | Used in marketing, PR or to express goodwill. | Donating to a charity or organising a staff volunteer day (often in an ad hoc, tactical way). |
| ESG | Environmental, Social and Governance. An investment-focused risk and sustainability framework. | Used in financial reporting and risk and reputation management. | Tracking board diversity, emissions and ethical sourcing. |
| Social Value | Measurable positive impact created through operations, workforce and services. Usually proactive, intentional and strategic for the benefit of all stakeholders. | Used in public procurement to harness spending power to benefit local communities. Used by all sectors to drive wellbeing, fairness and sustainability. | Includes all of the above, but with a greater focus on being proactive and strategic. Also encompasses local job creation, reducing emissions, supporting inclusive hiring. |
When it comes to defining social value in an SVQM context, it's important to focus on measurable outcomes. Social value differs from CSR and ESG by being action-based and often tied to procurement, contracts and demonstrable impact. It’s about intentionally working and growing in a way that maximises benefit for your stakeholders - including your staff, service users, customers, partners and communities.
Understanding these distinctions helps organisations explain social value clearly, respond to buyer requirements and avoid ‘value washing’ - making deceptive claims about the impact created.
What SVQM Means by “Social Value”
At SVQM, “social value” refers to the positive impact your organisation creates for people, communities and the planet through the way you work. This value is generated through decision-making, delivery, workforce practices and partnerships.
When starting out with Bronze-level accreditation, organisations are asked to make a series of commitments based on Social Value Themes. These themes reflect the most impactful areas where organisations can make a difference, such as health, skills, employment and environment. Many of these themes reflect broader ideas found in sociology and social impact, including social norms and societal impact. They provide a practical structure for organisations to align their values with measurable outcomes.
Our expectations focus on:
- Transparency: Clear evidence behind every claim
- Ethics: Fairness, inclusion and respect embedded across your work
- Legitimacy: Credible impact reporting, not loose assumptions
Your organisation does not need to deliver across all nine themes - only six are mandatory. What matters is how your activities align to outcomes and how you demonstrate that through credible evidence.
Explore the Social Value Themes
What Misunderstanding Looks Like in Practice
Misunderstanding social value can result in missed opportunities or failed audits. Below are examples of weak versus strong approaches to social value:
| Common Misstep | Why It Undermines Value | Better Alternative |
| Reporting hours volunteered without linking to outcomes | Fails to show real impact | Explain how those hours improved wellbeing or developed skills |
| Listing charitable donations as impact | Not tied to core operations or outcomes | Demonstrate the impact of your donation in terms of people’s wellbeing, quality of life or self-sufficiency. Show how it has supported the charity to improve capacity or services. |
| Using a generic CSR statement in a tender | Does not address specific social value requirements | Tailor your response to demonstrate relevant social value outcomes as required and specified within the bid |
| Failing to report negative impact or value | Is misleading and avoids tackling known issues | Be honest about negative impacts - such as carbon footprint or the displacement of another service as a result of your activity. |
| Focussing on token initiatives to gloss over deeper issues - i.e. a wellbeing initiative where there is a toxic culture, or a green initiative in an organisation driving environmental harm. | Applies a ‘sticking plaster’ to a much deeper challenge. Deceptively hides negative impact. | Be clear about the route causes of failings within an organisation and the strategic decisions required to drive change. |
| Failing to give credit to partners or volunteers | Implies the organisation has achieved all value without help. Demotivates and disincentivises contributing parties. | Attribute value fairly, crediting all parties that have contributed to your social value delivery. |
| Not accounting for positive change that would have happened anyway, or benefits that ‘drop off’ over time | Presents an unrealistic view of impact created | Determine how much influence you’ve actually had, and identify at what point value reduces or stops. |
Avoiding these pitfalls not only strengthens your bid, it also demonstrates that your organisation is authentic, credible and audit-ready. It’s also key to avoiding value washing, which refers to overstating or misrepresenting your social impact without credible and solid evidence. This is a growing concern among commissioners and communities.
Understanding what value you can legitimately claim, and how to make your calculations accurate, transparent and rigorous, can be complex. Our specialist partners at Social Value Business can help.
Why Forward-Thinking Organisations Are Moving Beyond CSR and ESG
As public expectations evolve, many organisations are finding that traditional approaches to CSR or ESG may not fully reflect the practical impact of their work. CSR is often positioned as a standalone or voluntary initiative, while ESG frameworks tend to focus on investor priorities and risk management. Social value, in contrast, is integrated into how services are delivered and outcomes are achieved.
For organisations involved in public procurement, social value provides the structure and language to demonstrate meaningful contributions. It shows commissioners and stakeholders that your organisation creates positive societal impact through everyday operations, not just through occasional initiatives or compliance reports.
For all sectors, it shows your organisation is committed to ethics, fairness and sustainability. It positions you as a responsible employer focussed on sustainable growth. For example, in industries experiencing a shortage of skills, it encourages investment in the next generation of workers, supporting your resilience in the longer term.
This shift is not about replacing ESG. It recognises where social value plays a more active role, especially when your impact needs to be measured, audited and independently verified.
How SVQM Supports Accurate Interpretation and Audit-Readiness
As an independent accreditor, SVQM guides organisations to interpret social value consistently and credibly. Our framework and services are designed to:
- Cultivate and reward value-led behaviours, approaches, governance and delivery
- Increase understanding of organisational social value
- Identify and close evidence gaps through Pre-Audit Services
- Align activities to SVQM’s nine social value Standards
- Verify and independently assure both qualitative and quantitative outcomes
Our standards assess how social value is planned, delivered, calculated and reported. It’s not just about metrics; they also examine whether values such as fairness, ethics and impact are embedded in your organisation’s culture and decision-making.
Through our ‘Impact Assured’ mark, we also verify and independently assure the impact created through specific projects or frameworks.
Still Unsure What Counts as Social Value?
Social value can look different depending on your organisation. A logistics provider might reduce emissions and support local hiring. A software company may focus on digital inclusion and upskilling. What matters is whether these actions lead to meaningful outcomes for people and communities.
At SVQM, our framework is built on practical themes developed in collaboration with commissioners, procurement teams and delivery partners. These themes reflect areas of high impact and also align with broader concepts found in values in sociology and social structures, such as fairness, equity and collective outcomes. These ideas help shape how impact is defined, evidenced and communicated.
Understanding how your activities align with the nine SVQM themes can help you prepare for audit and demonstrate real-world, verified impact.
Explore the 9 SVQM themes in detail
Ready to Define and Demonstrate Your Social Value?
Whether you're working on public tenders, preparing for an audit or just clarifying what social value means for your team, SVQM can help you take the next step with confidence.
Start with a Pre-Audit consultation or explore real examples of how other organisations are building measurable impact through Social Value Quality Mark accreditation.
