Beyond the Tick Box: Seeking Genuine Social Value Maturity
As the UK government's Procurement Act 2023 and PPN 002/25 reshape the way public contracts are awarded, social value has firmly moved from optional to operational. For bid professionals, especially those within the APMP community, understanding how to evaluate, articulate and influence social value is no longer a nice-to-have - it's essential.
But here's the problem: across sectors and suppliers, social value maturity varies wildly. So how do we know if an organisation is truly mature in its approach — or just ticking boxes?
What Does Social Value Maturity Look Like?
On the supplier side, mature social value practices go beyond merely meeting minimum requirements in a bid response. It shows up in:
- Leadership accountability: Who owns social value in your business? Is there senior sponsorship?
- Cultural embedding: Does everyone in your business understand, promote and participate in social value? Is it a cultural characteristic that differentiates you, for example, by attracting young people to join you?
- Investment at the capture stage: Are you building social value into your win strategy before the RFP drops?
- Measurement and feedback: Can you prove impact — not just count outputs?
- Contractual follow-through: Are social value outcomes built into delivery and performance management?
- Meaningful delivery plans: Do your commitments align with your core business and deliver real community benefit?
On the buyer side, it can manifest as:
- Proactive pre-tender market engagement: Openly talking with suppliers about what a relevant and proportionate social value ‘ask’ would look like.
- Thoughtful question setting: Setting the right tone for social value in the tender documentation by providing context and including targeted and focused questions.
- Holding suppliers to account: Ensuring that social value actions and KPIs are included in the contract, setting penalties for delivery failure and having regular reviews.
- Supporting delivery: Providing resources, signposts and facilitation to help suppliers delivery on their promises.
- Sharing success stories: Publishing and presenting examples to help suppliers understand what good looks like.
The Pitfalls of Performance Theatre
A common trap is what some roadshow participants called "virtual signalling" or “green washing”: polished promises and Instagrammable moments that don’t translate into meaningful outcomes. As social value becomes more visible in evaluation, there is a risk of gaming the system rather than transforming practice.
The Procurement Act's emphasis on transparency and the new PPN 002 model, which mandates contractually binding social value, will put such approaches under pressure. Bidders who overpromise or rely on vague aspirations may find themselves penalised.
The Role of the Bid Professional
You are the linchpin. Bid professionals sit at the intersection of compliance, culture, and client expectations. Maturity in social value isn’t just your organisation's responsibility — it’s yours too.
- Start early: Social value isn’t a paragraph to be written just before submission. Shape the story before the bid lands.
- Challenge superficiality: If your draft reads like a brochure, push back. Ask for evidence. Ask for outcomes.
- Influence upwards: Use your understanding of the Social Value Model and the Procurement Act to educate your internal stakeholders.
- Capture and share proof points: Case studies, delivery data and lessons learned are your best friends.
Moving Forward
Whilst there have been various attempts to develop social value maturity models for both buyers and suppliers, there is a growing case for a single model to help both communities benchmark and improve. Until then, bid professionals must lead the way by asking better questions earlier, making realistic commitments, and ensuring delivery teams are equipped to follow through.
Social value is no longer a bolt-on. It’s a professional business imperative. Let’s move beyond the tick box and build a culture that values impact as highly as winning.
This blog is based on output from the Social Value Maturity Roundtable team at the APMP UK Social Value Roadshow on 18th September.