Our new Social Value and Impact Strategy is a key part of ensuring that the organisations we work with make valuable contributions to our communities
We always build ‘social value’ into our contracts with external companies. Social value refers to extra economic, social or environmental benefits that can be attached to a contract. It is about ensuring that for every pound Lewisham Homes spends, as much value as possible is achieved for local people.
Social value can take various shapes depending on the size of the contract and what the particular contractor is able to offer. In its simplest form, it could be a cash contribution for our community relations team to spend on projects in the borough. Otherwise, it could include a stipulated number of apprenticeships or other training opportunities for residents, or a building contractor making staff available to refurbish a community facility.
The most recent social value we’ve received is from Ideal Boilers who funded 30 residents to take part in a childminding course delivered by Lewisham College. Once completed, these residents will have the qualification required to be a childminder.
Other examples include:
- Faithorn Farrell Timms (FFT): funded a mindfulness programme for residents of the Evelyn estate
- AD Construction Group: funded food parcels for LH residents in New Cross and Telegraph Hill
- Engie: a partnership with Debt Free London to offer free debt advice to our residents, plus skip amnesty days to help residents dispose of bulky items for free, garden clearance and lots more
- Travis Perkins Managed Services: funded the set-up of the Evelyn Community Store and the Stich Up Look Sharp workshops for young Lewisham residents
Our new Social Value and Impact Strategy emphasises and embeds our commitment to social value, the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of residents, and enhancing life chances.
The strategy sets out:
- How we will secure social value through procurement
- How we will ensure tenderers understand our social value objectives and requirements
- And how tenders will be evaluated in relation to social value
From analysis of data, a menu of social value offers is developed to help identify social value offers that we would seek from tenders to provide the most impact for Lewisham communities. It specifies how Lewisham Homes should take into account social value when putting contracts out for tender, so that any company who wants to work with us builds this into their way of thinking.
The strategy also sets out how the social impact of the these initiatives will be measured and monitored and how it aligns with Lewisham Deal – which Lewisham Homes signed up to in 2019, alongside other key partners, to tackle poverty and support inclusive growth in the borough.