Beyond the numbers: Capturing true social value in procurement
Guest blog by Angela Dixon, Managing Director at SocietyWorks #techUKSocialValueWeek
Angela Dixon
Managing Director, SocietyWorks
The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 initiated valuable shifts towards integrative procurement processes within Local Government. It encouraged purchasing decisions to be taken from a strategic perspective to deliver as much real value as possible to communities.
When approached purposefully and with the genuine alignment of values, partnerships between the public and private sectors can deliver value well beyond the specific product or service being contracted. Over time, such partnerships can increasingly generate impact across economic, social and environmental priorities.
However, generally speaking, there is still work to do to improve the implementation of social value procurement practices within Local Government to facilitate fairness, extend impact and ensure rigid, quantitative procurement processes do not lock local authorities out of the most socially responsible and valuable opportunities.
Social value as standard, not as an afterthought
As an SME belonging to the long-running civic technology charity mySociety, whose mission is to deliver technology for the public good, we hold a unique position in our understanding and delivery of social value.
Meanwhile, from the commercial perspective, SocietyWorks builds on over 20 years of experience to deliver fairly-priced SaaS products (FixMyStreet Pro, WasteWorks, ApplyWorks, etc.) designed to help build trust between local authorities and residents, a crucial component of civic engagement and flourishing communities. Any profits made are reinvested into the charity to support the ongoing delivery of our charitable services.
In essence, social value is embedded in all that we do, and local authorities and other public sector organisations that choose to work with us unlock unique opportunities to play their part in supporting wider civic improvements across the UK, and even internationally.
On paper, we are exactly the kind of supplier any forward-thinking, technology-driven and socially conscious authority would want to partner with.
The impact of social value and the value of social impact
Despite delivering social value for longer than the Act itself has been in effect, and despite offering support for local economies through initiatives that harness the vast array of skills and specialised knowledge within our organisation, we often find that our internal definition of social value does not match up with that of local authority procurement teams.
Procurement frameworks often prioritise tangible, place-specific outcomes measured strictly in monetary terms, rather than considering broader societal impacts.
While local authorities appreciate working with us due to our values-based approach and our mission-driven ethos, rigid definitions within procurement processes occasionally categorise our charitable initiatives as 'social impact', limiting their recognition in formal evaluation criteria.
Another challenge we face as a fully-remote SME belonging to a not-for-profit group, is that we encounter procurement assessments primarily designed for significantly larger, locally-embedded suppliers, where the total absolute value quantified in sterling is the only lens through which social value is scored.
Set up in this way, procurement frameworks only measure social value in monetary terms, excluding the rich qualitative data that would illuminate true social value.
Getting better value for local authorities
By integrating qualitative assessments into procurement evaluations, local authorities could better recognise and reward innovative solutions that deliver significant societal benefits extending beyond immediate geographical boundaries.
Recognising the qualitative impact delivered by social enterprises like ours would ensure greater sustainability and effectiveness of community outcomes.
Ultimately, enhancing procurement frameworks to acknowledge the interconnected nature of social value can lead to stronger partnerships between local authorities and mission-led suppliers, maximising long-term societal benefits.
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About SocietyWorks
SocietyWorks helps local authorities and other public sector organisations better serve citizens through effective, intuitive and integrated digital solutions. We are owned by mySociety, the registered charity behind some of the UK’s most well-used, open-source civic technology.
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The techUK Central Government Programme provides a forum for government to engage with tech suppliers. We advocate for the govtech sector, evangelise tech as a solution to public sector challenges, facilitate market engagement, and help make the public sector an easier market to operate in. Visit the programme page here.
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Heather is Head of Central Government Programme at techUK, working to represent the supplier community of tech products and services to Central Government.
Prior to joining techUK in April 2022, Heather worked in the Economic Policy and Small States Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She led the organisation’s FinTech programme and worked to create an enabling environment for developing countries to take advantage of the socio-economic benefits of FinTech.
Before moving to the UK, Heather worked at the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas and the Central Bank of The Bahamas.
Heather holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP, a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from LSE, and a BA in Economics and Sociology from Macalester College.
Ellie joined techUK in March 2018 as a Programme Assistant to the Public Sector team and now works as a Programme Manager for the Central Government Programme.
The programme represents the supplier community of technology products and services in Central Government – in summary working to make Government a more informed buyer, increasing supplier visibility in order to improve their chances of supplying to Government Departments, and fostering better engagement between the public sector and industry. To find out more about what we do, how we do this and how you can get involved – make sure to get in touch!
Prior to joining techUK, Ellie completed Sixth Form in June 2015 and went on to work in Waitrose, moved on swiftly to walking dogs and finally, got an office job working for a small local business in North London, where she lives with her family and their two Bengal cats Kai and Nova.
When she isn’t working Ellie likes to spend time with her family and friends, her cats, and enjoys volunteering for diabetes charities. She has a keen interest in writing, escaping with a good book and expanding her knowledge watching far too many quiz shows!
Yaroslava, a Junior Programme Manager at techUK's Central Government Programme, blends a decade of international and local Marketing and Business Development expertise with insights from Public Policy gained within a London economic consultancy.
This combination, coupled with her fluency in five languages and linguistic university background, enables her to drive impactful collaborations between the technology supplier community and the UK government, bringing a nuanced global perspective to engagement.
Outside of work, she is an exhibiting artist and leads Art for Wellbeing initiatives, reflecting her commitment to making a tangible difference, particularly through humanitarian aid for Ukraine, where she is from.
Junior Programme Manager - Central Government, techUK
Charles Bauman
Junior Programme Manager - Central Government, techUK
Charles Bauman is a Junior Programme Manager in the Central Government Programme at techUK.
He supports the programme’s mission to represent the technology supplier community to the UK government and advocate for digital innovation to address public sector challenges. Charles helps facilitate market engagement, foster partnerships, and ensure that tech suppliers and the government work collaboratively to improve outcomes, deliver value for money, and enhance public services for citizens.
Before joining techUK, Charles gained significant experience in research, analysis, and strategic advisory roles. At H/Advisors Cicero, he specialised in public affairs and corporate communications, while at Verdantix, he supported sustainability research and advisory projects, focusing on regulatory and environmental challenges.
Charles holds an MSc in Theory and History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and an MA in Medieval History from King’s College London.
Charles enjoys volunteering with a think tank, reading, hiking, and spending time with his dog and family outside of work.
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy Modha
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy supports the marketing of several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Central Government, Cyber Resilience, Defence, Education, Health and Social Care, Justice and Emergency Services, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.
Tracy joined techUK in March 2022, having worked in the education sector for 19 years, covering administration, research project support, IT support and event/training support. My most outstanding achievement has been running three very successful international conferences and over 300 training courses booked all over the globe!
Tracy has a great interest in tech. Gaming and computing have been a big part of her life, and now electric cars are an exciting look at the future. She has warmed to Alexa, even though it can sometimes be sassy!
techUK's Social Value Week was a testament that technology is already a transformative force in its own right—reshaping how we live, work, and connect. Layering social value onto that inherent power doesn’t replace it; it amplifies it, unlocking an additional dimension of positive impact for communities and society.