For the individual that has made a significant contribution to the debate and in developing best practice.

Category criteria:

Demonstrate how the individual has:

• Gone above and beyond ‘business as usual’
• Inspired others (individuals or organisations) to change behaviours
• Worked collaboratively across sectors; public, private and civil society
• Worked to represent the views of under-represented groups of people
• Shown commitment to accounting for social value in a way that empowers stakeholders, transparency and independent verification of the results

For a public sector organisation that is leading the way in embedding social value into their business culture, processes and systems to ensure the needs of their communities are being met. 

Category criteria:

Demonstrate how the organisation has:

• Made a public commitment to embedding social value through policies
• Used social value data to inform decision making at the highest level
• Developed processes that directly address economic inequality, support for local businesses, community wellbeing and regenerating the environment
• Developed processes to listen, respond and promote the social challenges of the communities they work with
• Accounted for (including evidence) social value transparently and with independent verification of results (e.g. using the National TOMs)
• Been highly innovative in how it has embedded social value across the organisation

For a private sector organisation that has led the way in embedding social value into their business culture via processes, systems and their people to ensure the needs of their customers and the communities where they work are being met. 

Category criteria:

Demonstrate how the organisation has:

• Made a public commitment to embedding social value through policies or pledges
• Used social value data to inform decision making at the highest level
• Developed processes that directly address economic inequality, support for local businesses, community wellbeing and regenerating the environment
• Developed processes to listen, respond and promote the social challenges of the communities they work within
• Accounted for social value transparently and with independent verification of results (e.g. using the National TOMs)

For the framework provider that has most successfully embedded social value into its frameworks and can shown it actively engages with its customers and partners to maximise value against need.  

Many buying organisations are shifting to frameworks as they offer a reliable and proven way of procurement. This award has been specifically designed to recognise framework providers that have embedded social value into their solutions and are being innovative in the delivery of social value through their frameworks. 

Category criteria:

The judges will be looking for frameworks that: 

• Demonstrate who social value has been embedded into their frameworks in way that delivers real value  
• Show how they work with their customers to understand and deliver against local needs 
• Can demonstrate specific outcomes and innovation 

• Have a clear and transparent reporting structure with clarity on what have been achieved across their frameworks for 2020 
• Show how they have responded to and adapted to the challenges of the pandemic 
• Show how they work with their framework partners to maximise social value

For a third sector organisation that has led the way in embedding social value into the way in which they deliver their services and has made a significant impact on the needs of the communities where they operate.

Category criteria:

Demonstrate how the organisation has:

• Made a significant impact on the community it serves
• Embedded social value into its culture and processes
• Used social value data to inform decision making at the highest level
• Developed processes to listen, respond and promote the social challenges of the communities they operate within
• Accounted for social value transparently and with independent verification of results (e.g. using the National TOMs)

An award for a project that has taken a novel and creative approach to radically improve how social value is delivered or managed.  

The winning project will need to show it has been highly innovative in how it the novel approach beyond concept stage and have a (at least short) track record of social value delivery. It may be an approach or methodology, a software solution or even a specific initiative that delivered far-exceeding outcomes to support communities who have been affected by the pandemic. This award has been designed to capture ideas that will inspire and evolve social value delivery.

Category criteria:

Entries should demonstrate:

• How it has identified the need for its innovation
• How its solution is different from business as usual or goes beyond what would be normally expected
• Provides a way that empowers stakeholders
• Evidence that it has accounted for social value and has achieved transparency and independent verification of the results

Procurement is key to delivering social value and the judges are looking for projects that can demonstrate how it has achieved beyond expectation. This award is open to organisations at all stages on the social value journey including those who have just started out and can demonstrate how they have overcome internal barriers or market failures to deliver.

Category criteria:

The winning projects may have achieved some of, or all the following:

• Demonstrated a clear understanding and implementation of social value (defined here as economic, environmental and social wellbeing and by Social Value Act (England), Procurement Reform Act (Scotland) or Wellbeing of Future Generation Act (Wales)) within its procurement processes
• Show that they have communicated clearly with the commissioning or design department of their organisation
• Show how the ITT or contract has been developed to reflect social value requirements
• Embedded social value into each stage of procurement process at an early stage (market engagement through to contract award)
• Show how they have taken steps to make it as easy as possible for SME and VCSEs to engage with the process
• Delivered above and beyond organisational expectations
• Encouraged measurement that is contextualised to reflect value to all relevant stakeholders (e.g. using the National TOMs)
• Been highly innovative in engaging with suppliers to make it as easy as possible to deliver

Contract management is a key part of the delivery of social value often the ‘weakest link’ in the process and the judges are looking for projects that have been active in working closely with its supply chain to maximise social value especially during the pandemic.

Category criteria:

The winning projects may have achieved some of, or all the following:

• Demonstrated clear understanding and implementation of social value
• Worked closely with the successful bidder to deliver social value
• Managed social value commitments with flexibility based on data collected and consequences for non-delivery
• Encouraged innovative and alternative ways to deliver additional social value
• Encouraged measurement that is contextualised to reflect value to all relevant stakeholders
• Encouraged reporting that is independently verified
• A whole view approach that works to avoid a “tickbox” mentality, i.e. to really work together with the supply chain to address the social value issue

Development offers a significant opportunity to provide additional social value for communities and this award has been designed to recognises development teams that have been innovative in how they have integrated social value into the development.

Category criteria:

The winning project will be able to show:

• How social value has been embedded into the development
• How local needs and priorities have been taken into account
• How social value has been described through the planning process
• How social value has been delivered through construction
• Description about impacts that go above and beyond any Section 106 obligations

The award has been specifically developed to recognise and show case planning authorities that have embedded social value into their planning processes. It is recognised that this is new and that most organisations will be starting out on their journey.

Category criteria:

The winning project will be able to:

• Show how they have embedded social value into the development of their local plan
• Show how they are actively engaging with developers in measuring, managing and reporting social value
• Show how they have engaged with local communities to understand needs
• Have evidence of delivering aspects of social value

This award is open to any public or private organisation that has embraced the National TOMs and can show an innovative and inspirational use of the TOMs Framework to unlock social value against the needs and priorities of a local community.

Category criteria:

Applicants will be able demonstrate:

• Stakeholder involvement has led to customisation of the National TOMS
• Innovative use of prioritisation weightings or sub-weightings within the National TOMs to align unlocked value to local needs and priorities –
• Measurement and valuation within the TOMs have been adjusted to reflect stakeholder preferences and experiences, and the local context –
• Innovative way to invest in capacity building to deliver social value within the community – including using the National TOMs to build partnerships with the supply chain or local community organisations –
• Demonstrate new collaborations between sectors (e.g. local authorities, health, education, third sector and businesses)

One of the key challenges facing buyers is how to engage with the supply chain and ensure they have the capacity and capabilities to deliver social value, in particular SMEs and VCSEs. In this award we are looking to show case any buying organisation that can clearly demonstrate how they have supported the supply chain in delivering social value.

Category criteria:

Applicants will be able to:

• Demonstrate how they have engaged with suppliers to increase their knowledge, their capacity, and capabilities to deliver social value
• Show they have taken concrete steps to change the diversity of supply chain, including opportunities for SMEs, Voluntary and Social Enterprises
• Demonstrate innovation in how they have managed the commissioning and procurement processes
• Show how they have reported social value across the supply chain
• Support the supply chain to measure and manage social value consistently

Decent work and looking after your own workforce forms a key component of social value and we are looking for organisations that can demonstrate how they have achieved this.

Category criteria:

Demonstrate how social value may have been delivered through:

• Support for mental health and wellbeing programmes especially through the pandemic
• Innovative delivery of skills and training with clear outcomes and benefits
• Articulated how inequality and diversity are being addressed in the organisation
• Demonstrate who the organisation has engaged with it people and workforce with clear outcomes
• Demonstrate how the organisation has supported its people through the pandemic
• Innovative approaches to engaging people in the delivery of social value (e.g. volunteering programmes)