An in-depth review of social value in public sector construction.
Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report
Rapidly becoming the definitive review of social value in public sector construction projects, we’ve been producing an annual Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report in collaboration with Social Value Portal since 2020.
This year's report reveals that the construction industry delivered £1.08bn of social value from contracts worth £4.57bn, providing a 23.62% return on investment. For the first time, we also surveyed our SCAPE delivery partners to uncover construction industry views on social value.
Maximising social value through procurement
Social value in construction is the process of built environment projects driving positive economic, environmental, and social impacts for society, measured through specific metrics and value-based outcomes.
Our latest Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report highlights how prioritising social and environmental outcomes can enhance communities and drive meaningful change.
The Social Value Act 2012 requires public authorities to "have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public services contracts; and for connected purposes."
At SCAPE, social value is not just about compliance; it’s integral to our procurement approach. We believe that every project should provide strong and sustainable legacies for communities, the economy, local businesses, and the environment.
Delivering social value and apprenticeships through construction
Our report highlights trends suggesting that the construction industry's commitment to social value has strengthened, with the average amount of social value delivered increasing year-on-year, from 17% in 2020 to 27% in 2023.
The report reveals a positive trend in apprenticeship placements, with over 15,600 weeks delivered across the 329 projects that were analysed, equivalent to approximately 326 apprenticeships. However, the data indicates that delivery varied across different regions and highlights the potential for improving apprenticeship delivery across the UK through more consistent adoption of best practice.
Through those 329 projects, £860m of social value was generated in 2023, equating to 27% average social value return on investment (SROI).
Want to discover how this was achieved? Complete the form below to download your free copy of our Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report.
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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