Social Value Taskforce Australia: Our Generation for Future Generations

This session, hosted by the Social Value Taskforce Australia, explored how Indigenous wisdom, future generations legislation and the new TOM System for Australia can shape a fairer, longer-term approach to Social Value – in Australia and globally.

Welcome and Introduction
Dr Paul Callaghan, Aboriginal Elder, Author, Professor, Callaghan Cultural Consultancy

Panel
Chair: Aaron Reid, Group Manager Social Sustainability, Ventia
Nathan Goode, Chief Knowledge Officer, Social Value Portal
Tara Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, Social Traders
Taylor Hawkins, Managing Director, Foundations for Tomorrow
Sophie Howe, Director, Sophie Howe Associates

The challenge
Speakers reflected on lessons from 60,000 years of Aboriginal leadership, Wales’ Well-being of Future Generations Act and the practical realities of procurement and ESG.

Key themes and insights
Indigenous leadership reframes success: a leader’s duty is to care for their place and all things in it for their children’s children’s children.
Australia’s Social Value landscape is patchy – strong state initiatives like Victoria’s social procurement framework sit alongside limited federal policy, making business champions and incentives critical.
The TOM System for Australia will localise global learning: place-based metrics, a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lens and flexibility for states to build on a common core.
Wales’ Future Generations Act and the new UN declaration show how law, measurement and citizen pressure can align to hard-wire long-term thinking into everyday decisions.

“A leader’s role is to fulfil their responsibility to care for their place and all things in their place for their children’s children’s children.”
Dr Paul Callaghan, Aboriginal Elder, Author, Professor, Callaghan Cultural Consultancy

Next steps from the experts
Use the TOM System for Australia to turn good intentions into comparable, credible data – and to compete on delivering more Social Value, not just lower cost.
Centre First Nations knowledge and local voices when defining what ‘good’ looks like, especially for place-based and intergenerational outcomes.
Build coalitions of champions – across parliament, business and civil society – to push for future generations legislation and shared global standards.