» Resources » How to include social value in procurement processes Blog How to include social value in procurement processes Follow the lead of Transport for London and other progressive clients and use this approach to integrate social considerations into a procurement process. This approach fits neatly within the guidance provided by the ISO 20400 in sustainable procurement. State your social value requirements in your specification Base your requirements on the need you’ve identified through consultation and stakeholder engagement. State links to policies, where they exist. Relate the requirements to core matter of the contract. Be clear about what you are trying to achieve. Ask bidders to provide action plan(s) as part of response to invitation to tender Ask bidders to explaining what they would do, how, when and what this would deliver. Ask for targets or indicators, if you want to. Provide a word limit – small and medium companies can put in great responses when word limits are tight because they focus on what they do rather than inserting ‘corporate speak’. Be clear that the successful bidder will be contractually bound to deliver their action plan(s). Evaluate and score action plans Include score(s) in a balanced scorecard approach to contract award. The higher the weighting the better! Be realistic about how much – or little – social value can be generated if the weighting is heavily skewed towards price. Hold the successful bidder to delivering their action plan(s) The team delivering the contract might not be the same that write the tender. They might need reminding of their action plan(s) and need some encouragement to deliver them. If you have colleagues or local stakeholders who can help them, all the better. Measure and report social impacts and value Celebrate success! By Billy Wilkinson Dec 5, 2018 Share: Related Articles May 2025 Blog How to Shift Mindsets on Climate (Without the Usual Doom and Gloom) Ross Primmer May 2025 Blog How to Shift Mindsets on Climate (Without the Usual Doom and Gloom) Today you’re never far away from a headline which talks about the climate and biodiversity emergency. We’re well versed, and arguably fatigued, with articles about rising levels of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere or declines in species diversity across the globe. Yet, despite these alarming headlines, emissions are rising and rates of extinction increase. The […] Keagan Allin May 2025 Blog Reflections on Sustainable Procurement: Progress, Challenges, and the Path Ahead Sarah Chatfield May 2025 Blog Reflections on Sustainable Procurement: Progress, Challenges, and the Path Ahead As sustainable procurement continues to evolve, it’s crucial to assess where we stand, how we can build on our momentum, and the role ISO 20400 has played in advancing the field—and how it can continue to accelerate progress. World Sustainable Procurement Day provided an excellent opportunity for Shaun McCarthy from ISO 20400.org and me to […] Keagan Allin April 2025 Blog From Buzzword to Backbone: Making the Business Case for AI in Responsible Procurement Vaishali Baid April 2025 Blog From Buzzword to Backbone: Making the Business Case for AI in Responsible Procurement AI is no longer just a shiny tech buzzword. AI is everywhere now within organisations and is taking a priority to reshape business operations, and procurement is not left behind. It’s right in the thick of this transformation. But when it comes to responsible procurement, AI isn’t just a tool for efficiency, it has the […] Keagan Allin