Social Value Business’ Post

🌟 Creating Impact Through Social Enterprise 🌟 At the heart of every social enterprise is a mission to uplift those facing the highest barriers to employment. This mission drives our daily decisions, but it’s not enough to simply aim for impact—we must also demonstrate it. 📊 Quantifying impact can be challenging, but it’s essential for gaining support from funders, partners, and customers. Our new learning guide series on measuring impact will help social enterprises navigate this complex landscape. We’ll explore various methods of impact measurement, from quick program monitoring to in-depth formal evaluations, and discuss the pros and cons of each approach. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into these topics and provide practical insights to help your social enterprise showcase its true impact. Together, we can make a difference! 🌍 #SocialEnterprise #ImpactMeasurement #Evaluation #SocialGood #CommunityImpact

We are fielding a lot of questions about who the best service providers / intermediaries are to work with at the moment, especially as social enterprises try to decide who to work with to build their capability as part of the Department of Social Services (DSS) Social Enterprise Development Initiative grants, administered by Impact Investing Australia. As a peak body, we can gather information and share it to help the social enterprise sector, so we would love to know from social enterprises and others in this space which service providers / intermediaries you would recommend. You don't have to be in NSW/ACT and you don't have to be a social enterprise to answer. We would love as much feedback as possible. Help us to know who to recommend when social enterprises come and ask us via this quick survey. https://lnkd.in/gr_ECrSf

With rising stakeholder expectations and tightening regulations, social value is no longer an optional add-on – but how can public sector organisations translate their social value goals into reality? Check out the advice from Edward Court, our Social Value Lead here at Efficio: https://lnkd.in/eky_qSZG #publicsector #publicsectorprocurement #socialvalue

It’s not enough to do good work; you need to demonstrate measurable outcomes. In today’s impact sector, funders, partners, and even beneficiaries increasingly expect transparency and accountability from social enterprises. This focus on metrics can be a challenge for organisations that are doing incredible work but lack the visibility or tools to measure their success in a way that resonates with stakeholders. One pathway to overcoming this challenge is through awards. When social enterprises win recognition, they’re often spotlighted for their proven impact, not just their potential. It inspires confidence in funders and collaborators. With just 2 days remaining to apply for the Social Economy Awards, this is your chance to showcase how your enterprise is turning efforts into impact. Apply Here: https://lnkd.in/e7U33dNc

Short and concise set of insights from Ed Court, our Social Value lead. Highly recommended reading for anyone engaged with social value commitments, either as a buyer or a supplier!

Conor McGale, Evaluation and Impact Manager at the Social Value Engine, has written an informative article for NICVA (Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action) on how social value can benefit voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. The article defines social value, explains how it can help VCSE organisations maximise their impact, and provides practical steps for starting. Key points include: - Social value helps identify what works in your projects/organisation and why - It enables you to track the progress of your beneficiaries/stakeholders - It provides a holistic view considering economic, social & environmental impacts - It helps direct resources to projects that most benefit society - It raises your profile by demonstrating impact to all audiences - It strengthens funding applications, especially for funders following the Green Book approach His article outlines a 5-step process to get started: 1. Decide if you're forecasting or evaluating 2. Establish scope & identify key stakeholders 3. Map outcomes via a Theory of Change 4. Gather meaningful data 5. Use storytelling to bring the data to life Read the full article for more details: https://lnkd.in/eUjtzJAF #SocialValue #SocialImpact #VCSEImpact #SocialValueEngine

How embedded is social value in your local authority? Assessing social impact means being committed to transparency, accountability, and community growth. The Social Value Maturity Assessment is a free tool designed to help local authorities evaluate and enhance social value integration. Why It Matters: Social value isn’t a box to tick. It’s about embedding long-term impact directly into your operations. This assessment uses Social Value International’s 8 Principles to give you a clear picture of your organisation’s strengths and areas for improvement. Key Benefits: 👉 Understand how deeply social value is integrated across your programmes and procurement. 👉 Recognise what’s working well and where there’s room to grow. 👉Track growth over time and anonymously compare with similar organisations. 👉 Receive a personalised report and, if desired, detailed recommendations from a member of our team. Ready to make a difference? ➡️ Access the Free Assessment Here: https://lnkd.in/ewNSaed4 How is your organisation enhancing its social value? Share your approach in the comments!

A great article from Anne Lythgoe on 10GM on social value - well worth a read! "Thinking about ‘social value’ at the procurement stage of any project or programme is too late to achieve real lasting benefit. Too often I have been asked to discuss ‘our approach to social value’ with commissioning colleagues when what they mean is ‘how should we phrase the social value question in this contract?... By forcing ‘social value’ into a specific and measurable part of procurement, we have lost the more principled, outcomes-based approach that was originally envisaged, which embeds social value in place-making and strategy.’" https://lnkd.in/dCPgQDQE

How do you know when someone is following best practices measuring social value and impact? They are accredited by Social Value International. I'm excited to have been awarded Level 1 Practitioner of Social Value status. For those to whom that’s all corporate jargon… Let me explain why I care about a fancy certificate. Social Value International (along with Social Value UK) is essentially a global network that focuses on creating true social impact and value. Not ESG. Not fluff. Real, genuine value. It’s a community of like-minded people who want to drive genuine impact without getting bogged down by outdated practices many businesses are still using. It very much aligns with what Impact Advantage and I stand for, so we wanted to be a part of it. I’m genuinely excited to work with people who care about real impact as much as I do – together we’re going to change the way people measure, manage, and maximise their impact. It’s exciting times here at Impact Advantage, and we’re just getting started…

We are certainly in an interesting time as my fellow CSR practitioners look to navigate this new administration. At ACCP, we want to try to arm our field with insights and information as we have them. If you have 5-10 minutes, please consider filling out this pulse survey with the changes you are seeing at your organizations - anticipated changes in budgets, shifts in priorities and language use, and company commitment to CSR, DEI and ESG. We look forward to sharing out the results!