Social Value in UK Procurement: How to Score Well (With Example Wording)

What buyers are looking for

Social value means the wider economic, social and environmental benefits a supplier will deliver through the contract — for example local employment, skills, fair work, wellbeing or reducing environmental impact.

PPN 002, published for the Procurement Act 2023, sets out how central government bodies should take social value into account, using the Social Value Model's themes and outcomes. Many local authorities and NHS bodies use their own frameworks, so always read the buyer's documents.

Why agencies lose marks

The most common weakness is vagueness: 'we are committed to diversity' scores poorly because nothing can be measured or monitored. Commitments unrelated to the contract, or impossible for a small team to deliver, also lose credibility.

Example wording you can adapt

Weak: "We care about our community and support local causes."

Stronger: "During the 12-month contract we will offer two paid four-week placements to young people from the buyer's area, recruited through a local college, and report placements completed in each quarterly review."

Stronger: "We will deliver four free campaign-planning workshops for local voluntary organisations, and report attendance and feedback to the contract manager."

Only commit to what you will genuinely deliver: social value commitments can become contractual and may be monitored.

A simple structure for every answer

State the outcome the buyer asked for, the specific activity, the quantity and timing, who is responsible, and how you will measure and report it. That structure makes the answer easy for evaluators to score.

Frequently asked questions