‘Social value’ event aims to make Scottish society fairer

A NEW new tool to match businesses with the communities that need them most will be launched at a major event next month which aims to make Scotland fairer and more inclusive.

The event is being held by the Social Value Portal Scotland (SVP), an online initiative which is designed to help organisations to measure the contribution they make to society.

Using financial and non-financial data, the team responds to the fact that it is hard to reflect the social value a business or charity and its supply chain provide to society.

By taking into account social, economic and environmental activities, it aims to identify and recognise organisations doing “more good” in the community.

Next month SVP will launch its Social Value Marketplace at a conference in Edinburgh.

This resource will help match businesses with a particular social impact with communities where that would help.

The event, which takes place at Our Dynamic Earth, features speakers including Josh Littlejohn, founder of The Social Bite and Teresa Bray of Changeworks.

It will also hear contributions from businesses, including BT, Balfour Beattie and organisations such as Scottish Enterprise and Homes for Scotland.

The Herald is media partner for the event.

A spokeswoman for SVP said Scottish Government legislation had already paved the way for change, by supporting procurement reform, community benefits and local empowerment.

But she added that the event would break new ground.

She said: “We all want a society that is vibrant, viable and inclusive.

“The conditions for social value have been created through legislation and social value is increasingly important in business relationships. But how do we know we are making a difference?

“Can we measure social value to create a common language across the public, private, community and voluntary sectors?

“This conference will look at Scotland’s future through the lens of social value.”

She said one of the day’s aims is to develop an action plan for a more inclusive Scotland.

The Social Value Gathering 2018 takes place on September 21st. For more information see www.socialvalueportal.com