Social Value Statement

Social Value Statement

The Social Value Act came into force on 31 January 2013. It is supported by the Procurement Act 2023 and the National Procurement Policy Statement.

Its aim is the wider benefit gained by a local community from the delivery of public contracts or services to secure and maximise social, economic, and environmental gains.

The benefits of such an approach aligns with our Cumberland values with health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do:

  • addressing inequalities
  • supporting the local economy
  • measures to address the climate emergency
  • delivering excellent public services

It is our ambition to ensure that Social Value is embedded into the core values and culture of our organisation. We have committed to incorporating Social Value requirements that are aligned to our Council Plan Priorities, into tenders, wherever relevant and proportionate to do so.

As part of the procurement process our teams will consider, from the outset, how Social Value can be achieved through our contracts, to secure additional value for the communities and residents in Cumberland. The process we follow is underpinned by Cumberland’s Social Value Menu. Refer to Appendix 1.

Embedding Social Value into procurements encourages our commissioners to consult with the local provider market, our communities and service users. This in turn can lead to design of better fit for purpose services, and identification of new and innovate ways of providing them.

Our Social Value focus areas are split broadly into the following areas:

  • local economies that work for local people
  • addressing inequalities
  • environmental resilience and climate emergency

By enabling positive outcomes in these areas will contribute to delivering positive outcomes in relation to health and wellbeing, prosperity and the environment for our communities.

Our aspiration

Through design, inclusion, and application of Social Value within our procurements and resultant contracts, we aspire to deliver:

  • ethical procurement practices in our supply chain
  • fair employment practices (including promotion of equality and diversity and inclusion and employment of people from disadvantaged backgrounds)
  • job creation and apprenticeships, including jobs for the long term unemployed and those Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)
  • increased opportunities for Small Medium Size Enterprises (SME), and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSE)
  • additional skills and training opportunities for staff and local businesses
  • career advice and work placements for students and graduates
  • protection and improvement of environmental sustainability
  • support, protection, investment and improvement of community assets
  • sustainable economic growth locally
  • good health and wellbeing in Cumberland’s communities
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How Social Value is communicated and implemented

How Social Value is communicated and implemented

The Procurement team will advise and support Directorates on inclusion of Social Value in their tendering opportunities, and ensure the questions asked and outcomes sought are relevant and proportionate to the contract and its size.

Social Value is communicated internally via the Procurement team to Officers in all Directorates.

Externally, we will endeavour to ensure information to support the supply chain will be made available at Supplier Engagement Events and part of any pre-market engagement information, however generic support will always be available on the Council website.

Please note that individual Officers are responsible for the development and application of Social Value to their own procurements as they are the subject matter experts in relation to the goods, works of services being procured.

Procurement team’s commitments

  • we will challenge when Social Value is not considered as an evaluation criteria in a tender
  • we will apply a weighted evaluation criterion of between 10% - 20% in any tender, where relevant and proportionate to do so
  • our supply chain will be required to make contractual commitments on Social Value statements they make in tender submissions
  • we will request progress updates on delivered Social Value commitments at contract review meetings
  • we have a dedicated Data and Community Impact Lead within the Procurement team to support teams/Officers to achieve social value outcomes through procurement activities

Monitoring of Social Value

Social Value commitments made by suppliers will be turned into KPI and will be discussed and reported on as part of contract review meetings throughout the delivery of the contract with the outcomes forwarded to the Procurement Team for central collation.

Evidence of Social Value delivery will be provided by suppliers and will be reviewed to ensure benefits are realised and the information will be collated centrally for reporting.

Suppliers may be asked to produce a case study linked to the outcomes achieved

Achievements and benefits realisation

Where possible monitoring (for instance as part of KPIs) will include quantifiable measurables to assist reporting on the achievement and benefits realised through Social Value within our contracts. These may include:

  • number of employment and skills opportunities (types of roles, number of opportunities, number of hours achieved etc.)
  • local spend
  • SME spend
  • carbon reduction: tonnes
  • additional funding secured and invested into Cumbria’s services from external sources
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Appendix 1 - Social Value menu

Appendix 1 - Social Value menu

Cumberland Council has produced a Social Value menu.

The social value outcomes listed serve as examples and are not exhaustive.

Some outcomes will apply across multiple themes. The council would welcome social value contributions or collaborations that are not listed but that do support progress towards the council's key priorities.

Economic

Cumberland priorities: Local economies that work for local people

Cumberland Council aims to create opportunities for children and young people to reach their full potential.

  1. Social value outcomes: Improved employability of young people

Measures KPIs: 16 to 24 year olds FTEs that are not in education, employment or training (NEET)

Cumberland Council aims to work with local businesses and partners for environmental, economic and social benefit

  1. Social value outcomes: New and improved skills for local people

Measures KPIs: Number of local people undertaking meaningful training

  1. Social value outcomes: More local people in employment

Measures KPIs: Number of local FTEs hired on the contract who were long term unemployed

  1. Social value outcomes: Crime and anti-social behaviours are reduced

Measures KPIs: Percentage reduction in crime reported

Cumberland priorities: delivering excellent public services

Cumberland Council aims to work with local businesses and partners for environmental, economic and social benefit

Social value outcomes: 2 to 4 (as above)

  1. Social value outcomes: More investment and opportunities for local businesses, charities or socially minded enterprises

Measures KPIs: Total local spend with SMEs

  1. Social value outcomes: Support local businesses to embed social value and sustainability into supply chains

Measures KPIs: Percentage contracts with supply chain on which social impact commitments, measurement and reporting are required

  1. Social value outcomes: Engage with our communities, develop strong ties and collaborate on projects to improve the local area together

Measures KPIs: The time volunteered to focus on community engagement; meetings and forums, volunteering programmes and assist local partnership collaboration

  1. Social value outcomes: Minimise the impacts of businesses on our current and future environment, promoting circular principles and delivering sustainable growth

Measures KPIs: The percentage of hours volunteered for training to local businesses to support and deliver sessions including resource optimisation, resource re-use and repurposing and closed- loop recycling

Cumberland Council aims to tackle inequalities in Cumberland

  1. Social value outcomes: More opportunities for disadvantaged people

Measures KPIs: The number of local FTEs hired on the contract who were long term unemployed

  1. Social value outcomes: Increase and promote fair and equal pay and reduce pay gap

Measures KPIs: Percentage of contracts who include policies with a focus on creating a more inclusive, transparent and equitable workplace

Social

Cumberland priorities: Addressing inequalities

Cumberland Council aims to prioritise health and wellbeing of Cumberland residents

  1. Social value outcomes: Improving staff wellbeing and mental health

Measures KPIs: Survey and feedback to track the percentage of wellbeing

  1. Social value outcomes: Addressing the causes of health inequalities

Measures KPIs: Number of hours dedicated to one to one or group careers support for the unemployed

Cumberland Council aims to build partnerships with anchor associations

  1. Social value outcomes: Improved collaboration on social impact projects

Measures KPIs: The number of volunteered hours spent to support projects

Cumberland Council aims to invest through voluntary resources and donations

  1. Social value outcomes: Support communities to thrive

Measures KPIs: The number of apprenticeships/training opportunities and local jobs created

  1. Social value outcomes: Initiatives to reduce poverty

Measures KPIs: Percentage of training opportunities, and enhanced education

  1. Social value outcomes: Support to ensure we eliminate hunger in our communities

Measures KPIs: Number of volunteer hours to support community initiatives, encourage and support cooperatives and self- help schemes e.g. community gardening projects

  1. Social value outcomes: Support to encourage good health and wellbeing

Measures KPIs: The hours volunteered to provide support and education

Cumberland Council aims to support carers and the social care system

  1. Social value outcomes: Vulnerable people are helped to live independently

Measures KPIs: Percentage of opportunities to local people facing barriers to employment

Cumberland Council aims to invest in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable transport network

  1. Social value outcomes: Supporting access to active travel enablers such as bicycles or other equipment

Measures KPIs: The number of hours and donations of materials and equipment to support accessible walking/cycling routes and other transport schemes.

Environmental

Cumberland priorities: Environmental resilience and climate emergency

Cumberland Council aims to play our part in a vibrant and participatory local democracy

  1. Social value outcomes: Support for public transport usage or infrastructure

Measures KPIs: Car miles saved on the project as a result of a green transport programme or equivalent (e.g. cycle to work programmes, public transport or car- pooling programmes, etc.)

  1. Social value outcomes: Support for community-led or cooperative owned business models that embed community power

Measures KPIs: Number of voluntary hours donated towards environmental and biodiversity conservation

Cumberland Council aims to build put action to address the climate emergency at the heart of our work

  1. Social value outcomes: Carbon emissions are reduced

Measures KPIs: Requirements or support (for Micro or Small enterprises) for suppliers to demonstrate climate change and carbon reduction training and/or percentage of savings in CO2e emissions on contract achieved through decarbonisation (specify how these will be achieved)

  1. Social value outcomes: Air pollution is reduced

Measures KPIs: Percentage of savings in CO2e emissions on contract achieved through de carbonisation (specify how these are to be achieved)

  1. Social value outcomes: Resource efficiency and circular economy solutions are promoted

Measures KPIs: Percentage of procurement contracts that include sustainable procurement commitments or other relevant requirements and certifications (e.g. to use local produce, reduce food waste, and keep resources in circulation longer.)

  1. Social value outcomes: Sustainable procurement is prioritised

Measures KPIs: Requirements or support (for Micro or Small enterprises) for suppliers to demonstrate climate change and carbon reduction training for all staff

Cumberland Council aims to preserve and improve access to nature and green spaces

  1. Social value outcomes: Safeguarding the natural environment – protecting and enhancing the environment

Measures KPIs: Number of voluntary hours to undertake direct action, or engage with local businesses, schools and colleges providing Carbon Neutral and Sustainability training

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