Social Value made easy for SMEs

Practical guidance for SMEs (Small to Medium Enterprises) on starting or strengthening their Social Value journey – how to evidence what they already do, bid on lean margins, work with commissioners and Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprises (VCFSEs), and build Social Value into everyday decisions.

Chair: Arnab Dutt OBE, National Policy Champion for Procurement & Social Value, Federation of Small Businesses
Charlotte Gascoyne, Head of Sustainability & ESG, Dals (DA Languages)
Michael Crook, Head of Strategic Procurement, STAR Procurement
Katie Corbett, Social Value & EDI Manager, Bray & Slaughter

The challenge
Many SMEs already create huge local impact but lack time, capacity and confidence to measure it or compete with larger bidders. The panel explored how to keep asks proportionate, make reporting manageable and ensure SME social value is properly recognised.

Stats to remember
SMEs make up 99% of UK businesses and 67% of the workforce.
STAR councils have secured over £550m of Social Value since 2019, with as much as 80% of spend locally in some councils.

Key themes and insights
Smaller contracts may need lighter-touch, more flexible Measures.
Early market engagement and clear guidance from commissioners enable smaller businesses to engage.
Combine “numbers and stories” – metrics plus case studies, resident feedback and long-term partnerships.

“Small businesses… do so much. They probably have a lot to teach our larger companies in deploying Social Value.”
Arnab Dutt OBE, National Policy Champion for Procurement & Social Value, Federation of Small Businesses

Next steps from the experts
Map what you already do, including apprenticeships, local jobs, volunteering, and VCFSE links.
Use free support (FSB, Growth Hubs, councils) to build bidding and reporting confidence.
For commissioners: simplify processes, co-design asks with SMEs and design longer-term, impact-led contracts.