SCAPE’s annual collaborative report analysing social value delivery across the built environment
Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report 2026
Social value is a fundamental part of public sector procurement, ensuring that investment in the built environment delivers lasting economic, social and environmental benefits alongside the assets themselves.
Since 2020, SCAPE and Social Value Portal have collaborated to publish the Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report, providing insights into the regional and national trends in social value delivery across the UK’s built environment.
Collaborative delivery
Now in its sixth edition, the 2026 report reveals that £1.1bn of social value was delivered across 445 projects with a combined contract value of £4.98bn. This represents £0.22 of social value generated for every £1 of contract value. Of these projects, 125 were delivered through SCAPE frameworks, accounting for 28% of the overall dataset.
The report also features 24 case studies from our delivery partners, showcasing tangible examples of social value delivered through SCAPE frameworks and the positive impact achieved in communities across the UK.
Scroll down to explore the findings and download this year's report.
Key highlights
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social value added for every £1 contract value
Maximising social value through procurement
Delivering social value means creating positive economic, environmental, and social outcomes for the communities in which we work.
It’s about ensuring that every pound invested through the built environment generates lasting benefits, from providing local employment and training opportunities, to reducing carbon emissions and encouraging volunteering in the community.
The Social Value Act (2012) requires public sector organisations to consider the opportunities to create social, economic and environmental benefits alongside their contractual expenditure. At SCAPE, social value is not just about compliance, it’s integral to our procurement approach. We believe that every project should leave a strong and sustainable legacy for communities, local economies, and the environment.
Our latest Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report demonstrates how prioritising social and environmental outcomes enhances communities and drives meaningful change across the UK.
Long-term benefit
While monetised social value remains an important benchmark, this year's findings also reflect the construction sector's growing focus on understanding the lasting outcomes that projects create for people, places and local economies.
Scroll across to learn more.
About Social Value Portal
Social Value Portal is a social enterprise whose mission is to engage, enable and empower people and organisations to work together in the pursuit of social, economic and environmental wellbeing.
SCAPE and Social Value Portal have collaborated since 2020 to deliver the Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report, providing insights into social value delivery across the country.
The data and insights presented in this report were collected via The Social Value TOM System™, a nationally recognised approach to recording social value that categorises activity into the work, economy, community and planet themes.
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