Social Value has long been embedded in WSP’s services and research. As a leading global engineering firm, it is central to the company’s ambitions to shape the communities of tomorrow and help society thrive.
However, in recent years the importance of demonstrating that focus on Social Value has increased amongst WSP’s clients, and also taken greater precedence in public sector procurement.
WSP wanted to align itself with a best practice tool that would complements the needs of local authorities - that's why they started working with Social Value Portal.
Implementing the Social Value TOM System™
In 2020, WSP piloted the Social Value TOM System™ as a means of measuring its Social Value, focusing on two of the organisation’s local government schemes. Following Social Value Portal's advice, WSP implemented 48 Measures from TOM System, as well as some additional Measures that matched its Social Value strategy.
The pilot received excellent feedback from clients, and the TOM System has now been embedded in all of WSP’s business units, which include planning and advisory, property and buildings, and transport and infrastructure.
WSP has also adopted Social Value Portal's Workspace platform, which enables them to track the progress of specific corporate projects and monitor ongoing reporting of live projects. They can do this for each business unit at any time, as well as share knowledge and case studies across the business.
At WSP, Social Value is integral to our work and embedded in many of our projects. In conjunction with our Future Ready programme, our engineers and consultants act on future trends and wider social issues impacting our designs. Our priority is to bring together our brilliant corporate programmes with our Future Ready expertise and accurately measure our impact using the TOM System.
WSP
WSP’s vision is to integrate and maximise Social Value in its operations, project delivery, and supply chain - all to benefit clients and the communities they serve. To this end, the organisation actively engages all staff on its Social Value policy, empowering them to build on the use of the TOM System themselves.
Each year, WSP includes its Social Value progress in its annual report with a spotlight on corporate programmes that have been carried out, detailing their impact, return on investment, and improvements they have made.
Social Value in engineering continues at WSP
WSP has ambitious Social Value targets for the years ahead.
One of the largest challenges so far has been that Social Value measurement is still new for many sectors, not just WSP. Moreover, requirements around how local authorities include Social Value in procurement are still changing how public sector contracts are tendered.
WSP continually optimises its implementation of the TOM System to meet these requirements. For example, the organisation is developing a gap analysis to understand areas of the TOM System that it currently doesn’t serve as part of an improvement plan.
Social Value Portal supports WSP in developing its roadmap and strategy across the business in a way that works for both employees and clients. Assisted by our ongoing training, advice and support, WSP is committed to maximising the use of both the TOM System and our platform.
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