Social Value and Sustainability: Theory and Practice

1 day, in-person or online

This course explores what it means to embed social value and sustainability as key criteria for public service delivery today. Participants will deepen their understanding of the concepts of social value and sustainability, learn how to identify and measure social value, consider how to integrate social value into everyday work, and reflect on how to advocate for social value as organisation and system leaders.

In Module 1, participants will:

• Define social value and sustainability in the context of public services
• Explore the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 and other relevant legislation and best practices
• Understand the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relevance
• Learn about case studies of successful social value initiatives across different sectors

 In Module 2, participants will:

• Be introduced to tools and frameworks for assessing social impact
• Map opportunities for embedding social value and sustainability considerations into existing processes and activities
• Explore how to identify supportive stakeholders and build inclusive decision-making processes
• Undertake practical exercises in applying social value tools to real-world scenarios

 In Module 3, participants will:

• Consider co-design and co-production approaches to create shared value
• Explore demand reduction strategies to promote sustainable use of resources
• Be introduced to procurement and commissioning approaches which prioritise sustainability
• Understand how to embed social value considerations into performance reporting

 In Module 4, participants will:

• Practise how to communicate the importance of social value and sustainability
• Discuss how to build coalitions and partnerships for collective impact
• Reflect on how to overcome resistance to change
• Develop leadership skills to champion social value