Harwich Haven Authority has always been committed to socially responsible and sustainable decision-making. But with Social Value not yet being systematically measured or treated as an organisation-wide priority, there was room to go further for the community.
In 2022, they partnered with Social Value Portal to create a holistic Social Value programme, marking a turning point in their mission to enhance local lives.
A pivotal first step was understanding the most urgent needs of the community. Our Consulting team stepped in with a comprehensive ‘Local Needs Analysis’ – revealing significant challenges.
In Tendring, for instance, 42.7% of the population experienced high to severe deprivation. East Suffolk faced a similar challenge with 20.5% of its residents. Both surpassed the East of England average of 17.8% and faced deprivation across multiple dimensions, including income, employment, health, crime, education, skills, and training.
These insights were instrumental in shaping a Social Value strategy that targeted the areas of greatest need with precision and purpose.
Now armed with a clear understanding of local needs, the authority developed a Social Value strategy anchored in three key opportunity areas:
Initiatives in each category were carefully aligned to both specific community needs and the operational footprint of the authority and its supply chain – or its ‘Social Value sweet spot’.
To make sure no Social Value effort went overlooked or under optimised, Harwich Haven Authority adopted the Social Value TOM System™.
Using the TOM System, they conducted a retrospective report for the previous year, establishing a baseline Social Value figure of £4,035,680. This gave the authority context to set targets and drive even greater impact.
Here’s a selection of TOM System Measures the authority has used to measure its impact:
Having gotten started with a limited set of Measures, the authority is now expanding to a wider set so it can measure and report a wider range of Social Value initiatives.
The TOM System has proven invaluable in helping us measure and refine our Social Value initiatives – including some that we hadn’t initially expected to measure. It’s also played a crucial role in building a business case for expanding our apprenticeship program and project work, which is further contributing to local employment and skills development.
Linzi Jobber, Sustainability Manager, Harwich Haven Authority
The authority’s Sustainability team has worked hard to bring the whole workforce into its ESG and Social Value strategies. This has been a resounding success, with staff now actively prioritising Social Value in their daily roles — even those in operational capacities.
Here’s an everyday but truly uplifting example. When two authority employees recently encountered a disused boat on the beach, they took the initiative to restore and donate it as a recreational resource to a local school.
Our children love playing outside, and we are always looking for ways to support them in imaginative and adventurous play. Harwich Haven has supported us with this endeavour. Children of all ages are really enjoying playing together and having fun on this beautifully restored boat. We can't thank you enough!
James Newell, Headteacher, Wix and Wrabness Primary School
Maintaining the depth of the navigation approach channel is Harwich Haven Authority’s biggest annual spend. In 2024, the authority channelled this routine duty into a major Social Value win through a match-fund partnership with contractor Boskalis Westminster.
Each contributed £25,000 to roll out the Coastal Discoveries initiative, which educates primary and secondary school ages on the local environment and works with community groups like the Scouts, Guides, Brownies, and Cub.
A cornerstone of Coastal Discoveries is the ‘Beach School’ programme. It gives all children attending primary schools in Harwich and Dovercourt access to a workshop delivered by Seaside Explorers with three key themes: biodiversity, environmental conservation and maritime careers.
Participating children even receive identification cards to help them spot different species. This isn’t just helpful for the students: like all Coastal Discoveries activities, Beach School uses the iNaturalist app to gather data on environmental phenomenon. The data is accessible to everyone, including academics around the world – demonstrating that even local initiatives can have global benefits.
Harwich Haven Port Authority’s commitment to Social Value has had a major local impact. These are just a few examples of what this has achieved on the ground:
Through initiatives like these, Harwich Haven Authority has delivered £4.3 million of Social Value in 2023 – a boost on their baseline figure – with £3 million delivered under the TOM System’s Work Theme.
Social Value Portal and the TOM System have been pivotal in providing the support the authority needed to begin our Social Value journey. The partnership ensured we had a strong starting point with our Local Needs Analysis, which enabled us to develop a strategic approach to our Social Value delivery.
Linzi Jobber, Sustainability Manager, Harwich Haven Authority
From maritime ports to city councils to central government bodies, public sector organisations across the country are realising untold benefits within their communities through Social Value.
We can help you maximise your Social Value efforts too. Reach out to discover where your opportunities lie and how we can support your own journey.