In this 5 Minutes With article, Andrew O’Brien and Hana Kapetanovic from Demos discuss their report Taming the Wild West. They share insights on the challenges of social value, the role of technology in building trust and transparency, and how collaboration can create stronger, more inclusive communities. Discover their vision for a clearer, fairer approach to delivering social value.

Read the key takeaways from the Social Value UK conference 2024 in Birmingham, attended by the Samtaler team. With Sarah Stone and Kate Gräfe as speakers, the event marked the launch of the Institute of Social Value (ISV) and explored insights on fostering trust, shaping long-term outcomes, and driving the future of social value.

Isabelle Parasram OBE, CEO of the recently rebranded Institute for Social Value (previously Social Value UK), shares her insights on the rebrand of the professional body, who it is for and how to get involved in advance of the launch at the upcoming Members Conference next week. Isabelle also discusses what politicians and policymakers may have on their radar with regard to social value and the government’s delayed Procurement Act.

Louise Griffiths, Samtaler’s Social Value Consultant, embarked on her journey with a passion for making a meaningful impact. Now, with over two years of experience under her belt, she reflects on the importance of networking, joining professional memberships, and committing to continuous learning. These key insights have been vital in shaping her successful career in social value.

Lorraine Cox, Director of STAR Procurement and Chair of the National Social Value Taskforce, shares her insights on why social value is more than just a buzzword — it's a vital approach to creating real benefits for communities. Discover the role of the Taskforce, upcoming changes in the Procurement Act, and how organisations can ensure every pound spent has maximum impact.

Explore how to maximise social value opportunities with the "Guide to Social Value for London's Micro and Small Businesses." This comprehensive guide, written by Samtaler for the London Anchor Institutions' Network offers practical advice for MSMEs to incorporate social value into their practices, helping them stand out in tenders and contribute positively to their communities.

Kate is our new Social Value Consultant at Samtaler, and we are delighted to have her onboard. Kate shares what brought her to Samtaler and what she wants to achieve in the next 12 months, professionally and personally.

As social value is becoming increasingly significant in both the procurement of and delivery of public services, we are increasingly seeing the public sector ask their prospective suppliers to show evidence of their Social Value Policy. In this article, we give you guidance on how to structure your policy and what to consider to ensure your policy is robust.

Discover Unseen, a charity combating modern slavery through victim support, collaboration, education, advocacy, and research. Join their Business Hub for tools and community engagement to fight slavery. Reach out to Unseen for comprehensive support and make a difference in this crucial battle.

To help you understand the differences, we will explore each model in detail. Give you the history behind them and why procurers use different frameworks and offer some practical ideas to help you prepare social value answers for both models.

Nicola shares what her first few months of working with Samtaler have been like. From travelling for the 1st time in 2 years, working on exciting projects and how she is balancing life working five days a week.

There are many ways tech suppliers can produce benefits that enhance society and support the technology sector across the UK. We've put together a list of seven things you can do to deliver meaningful social value to get you started.