Skip to content

Social Value

Social Value looks at the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of an area and how it can be improved through the council’s activities. Our Social Value policy focuses primarily on our commercial activities. We ask suppliers to consider the additional benefits that can be achieved in the delivery of the council’s contractual agreements.

We are seeking to encourage effective collaboration between the public sector, third sector and private enterprise, delivering innovation and positive outcomes for local people.

This could be through tackling climate change, staff volunteering, pro-bono expert business advice, supporting local community projects, career and skill development, and much more.

You can read more on the Government’s page on the Social Value Act, which came into force in 2013.

 Our Social Value policy

Social Value policy 2022

This explains what the council is planning to achieve through our Social Value work and how we aim to achieve it.

Our Social Value Toolkit

Social Value Toolkit

We are delighted to publish Gloucestershire County Council’s first Social Value Toolkit. This Toolkit is aimed primarily at bidders aiming to win work with Gloucestershire County Council, and suppliers who are delivering contracts for the Council and have Social Value commitments, but it may be of interest to any organisation working within the county with an interest in responsible business and sustainability. 

whatimpact's National Social Value Marketplace

Gloucestershire County Council has partnered with whatimpact’s National Social Value Marketplace to help Council suppliers match with local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs).  

The platform makes it easier for suppliers to design contract-specific social value plans that are practical, measurable and relevant to the needs of Gloucestershire.  

The platform enables suppliers to work with VCSE organisations to draw up locally relevant, contract specific social value plans that meet tender criteria.  

VCSE organisations are able to make better use of the social value system – actively seeking out suppliers to access support, including donations, pro-bono expertise and resources, and to develop corporate partnerships with companies in fulfilling their contractual obligations.  

For more information about the platform, please visit the whatimpact website.

How do we measure Social Value and which aspects of Social Value are we keen to secure for Gloucestershire?

The council uses the TOM System (Themes, Outcomes and Measures) to evaluate bidders’ Social Value offers and monitor progress through the life of the contract management.

From the full range of TOMs available, we have selected measures which are most closely aligned to the council's priorities and local needs.

Measures from this list will be available for bidders to choose from on tenders which fall within the scope of the Social Value Policy so that as many of the council's contracts as possible deliver the Social Value outcomes needed in Gloucestershire.

Link to other useful pages

Social Value links to a number of other approaches, strategies and initiatives which aim to improve the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of Gloucestershire.

Of particular relevance are: