The Institution of Civil Engineers R&D Enabling Fund and Useful Projects co-funded a major new Social Value (SV) guidance document, ‘Maximising Social Value from Infrastructure Projects’ in 2020.
With significant infrastructure investment planned for the UK, matched with severe socio-economic challenges across the country, amplified by Covid-19, there is now more need than ever for infrastructure projects to create additional SV over their lifecycle and help to re-build local economies.
Social value with meaning
Our research showed that while many infrastructure clients and contractors have SV policies and objectives, there is a significant implementation gap between policy and delivery of meaningful and beneficial SV in practice.
By examining the scale and basis for the implementation gap, in addition to engagement with the industry, the guidance report identifies how the gap can be closed with specific recommendations for all those responsible for the funding, design, delivery, and operation of infrastructure projects.
The report includes:
- Eight key findings,
- Implementation gaps through the project lifecycle,
- Case studies,
- Strategic recommendations,
- A new Social Value Maturity Model for the infrastructure sector.
It is incumbent on all of those involved in infrastructure planning, investment, design, delivery through to operation and decommissioning to take forward the findings of this research and ensure that the creation of additional social value is at the heart of infrastructure delivery and operation.
We are now supporting several organisations to implement the recommendations of this landmark guidance
