Why Social Value Matters in Social Care Tenders

September 11, 2025

📘 Blog 1 of 7 in our Social Value & Net Zero Series
Why Social Value Matters in Social Care Tenders

Links to all 7 blogs in this series are at the bottom of this post.

🌍 Social Value = Community Impact + Sustainability

In social care, social value is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s a weighted scoring requirement in most public sector tenders. Commissioners want to know not only how you will deliver safe and effective care, but also how your organisation will contribute to wider community, economic, and environmental outcomes.

For providers, this means two things: first, being able to evidence social value in practical, measurable terms; second, aligning commitments with the Net Zero and NHS Social Value Model requirements that now underpin procurement frameworks. Providers who fail to engage with this agenda risk losing marks that can decide tender outcomes.

🔑 What Commissioners Expect

Commissioners increasingly score social value at 10% or more of the total tender weighting. They expect providers to demonstrate:

Community benefit — creating local jobs, apprenticeships, or volunteering opportunities.
Environmental responsibility — clear steps towards Net Zero, such as reducing fleet emissions, improving energy efficiency, or digitalising paperwork.
Inclusive employment — supporting disadvantaged groups into work (e.g., care leavers, disabled people, long-term unemployed).
Measurable reporting — using recognised frameworks such as TOMs (Themes, Outcomes, Measures) or SROI (Social Return on Investment).

Strong responses go beyond aspiration. They include specific commitments, baselines, and measurable outcomes. For example, instead of writing “we will create opportunities for local people,” providers should write:
✅ “We commit to offering two apprenticeships per year to local young people, with a guaranteed pathway into permanent employment.”

👁️ What Inspectors Look For

While the CQC does not score tenders, inspectors do look at culture, governance, and sustainability. Providers who embed social value often demonstrate:

Workforce stability — better recruitment and retention from inclusive employment approaches.
Community trust — strong partnerships with local schools, charities, and voluntary groups.
Sustainability — operational practices that reduce waste, improve resilience, and prepare for climate-related challenges.

This alignment of tender evidence with inspection evidence is powerful. It shows that social value is not a paper exercise but part of a wider governance and quality culture.

⚠️ Risks of Ignoring Social Value

Lost tender marks — even strong quality responses may fail if social value is weak.
Reputational damage — appearing disengaged with Net Zero, inclusion, or community benefits undermines credibility.
Inspection weaknesses — failure to show cultural alignment with sustainability and equality may reduce confidence in leadership and governance.

In competitive markets, providers that do not take social value seriously will increasingly find themselves outpaced by those who can back up their commitments with data and examples.

💡 Practical Example

Imagine two providers bidding for the same domiciliary care contract:

❌ Provider A: “We are committed to social value and will work with the community to provide opportunities.”
✅ Provider B: “We commit to supporting three local apprentices into permanent care roles over the next contract period. We will transition 50% of our fleet to hybrid vehicles by 2026, reducing CO₂ emissions by 30%. We will track outcomes using the TOMs framework and report quarterly.”

Only one of these providers provides measurable commitments, a timeline, and a framework for accountability. That’s the difference between “good” and “high-scoring” in a tender process.

📣 Why This Blog Series Matters

This is the first in our 7-part Social Value & Net Zero series. Over the coming posts we’ll explore how to:

Understand the NHS Social Value Model and its impact on social care
Turn Net Zero commitments into practical, operational steps
Demonstrate community benefits through jobs, skills, and volunteering
Measure and report social value using recognised frameworks
Embed social value into daily service delivery and governance
Evidence social value and Net Zero in tenders and inspections

For providers, this is about more than compliance — it’s about competitive edge, trust, and sustainability. Many strengthen their approach with social value or Net Zero strategies, method statements, and targeted bid strategy training, often supported by independent proofreading and review.

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