Welcome to the first ISV Member Newsletter of 2025!
We’re kicking off the year with great momentum following our AGM on 13th January—our biggest turnout yet! A huge thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event.
As we shape our ISV member events for 2025, we want to hear from you. If you haven’t already, please take two minutes to complete our short survey and share your thoughts on the topics, formats and locations that matter most to you. ISV Events 2025
In addition, we invite you to join us for an informal, interactive discussion on Monday 10th February from 11:00 – 12:00, where you can contribute ideas and help shape our event programme for the year ahead. Full details on how to join can be found in this newsletter.
Keep an eye on your inbox for ISV member emails, where we’ll share the latest updates and opportunities to provide feedback on key topics related to social value and social impact.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our events soon!
Best wishes,
The Editorial Team
Upcoming Training
Getting Started with Social Value
Find out more here
19 February Training Detail - Social Value UK
Social Value and SROI Practitioner Training: Book here
19 February Event details
18 March Training Detail - Social Value UK
If you are unsure what training course is right for you, read this guidance: Choosing the right Social Value Training
ISV Member Events 2025 – Have Your Say!
We’re shaping our 2025 ISV Member Events, and we want YOUR input!
Date: Monday 10th February
Time: 11:00 – 12:00
Where: Online (Zoom)
What topics, experiences and opportunities would you like to see/hear about? This is your chance to help us create an event lineup that truly meets your needs.
🔗 Sign up here to join, and we’ll send you the Zoom link!
Join Us for Our Next Lunch and Learn Networking Session!
Mark your calendar for Wednesday 12th February from 12:30 to 1:30 PM, as we bring you another enriching Lunch and Learn session. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow members and gain insights from their experiences in the social value field.
February’s session invites professionals to share insights, resources, and skills related to social value. Join Dr. Crispen Sachikonye from the University of Manchester to learn about this transformative project and how you can contribute to its success.
Crispen will be speaking about how interest in social value is growing in the UK, driven by legislation like the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. While these laws encourage social, environmental, and economic benefits, challenges such as unclear definitions, differing policies, and difficulties in measuring impact persist. Risks like "greenwashing" further complicate efforts. This research seeks to clarify social value and develop a leadership framework to link actions with positive outcomes. Join us by clicking the link Lunch and Learn - February– 12th February 12.30 – 1.30.
Thought Leadership Group in Education
We are very much looking forward to 2025 and excited to introduce a new programme format aimed at ‘shifting the dial’ in key areas at the intersection of social value and education. To learn more, feel free to contact j.brown3@ljmu.ac.uk or eimear.davis@socialvalueuk.org. Dates and content will be shared very shortly.
Help Shape the Future of the Institute for Social Value
We’re reviewing our business strategy for the coming years, and we’d love to hear from you - our members, supporters and other stakeholders - about how we can better serve you over the next few years.
Some ideas shared by our members so far include:
Developing a clear, accessible definition of social value and social impact in plain English
Creating a marketplace for jobs and tendering opportunities within the social value sector
Engaging at the highest levels of government on key issues affecting the sector
Exploring the possibility of becoming a charity or CIC
Hosting more in-person events
Do you have any big (or small!) ideas that should be on our list? Let us know by completing our short form here: Shaping The Future of The Institute for Social Value
We look forward to working with you as the ISV community continues to grow!
Invitation to Participate in Ground-breaking Social Value Research
We are excited to invite our members to participate in a significant research study on social value, led by a respected practitioner and researcher in the field. This study aims to deepen our understanding of what social value is, how it is managed, and its interconnections with CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), impact, and related concepts.
The research is divided into three phases, with Study 1 currently underway. This initial phase focuses on gathering insights from practitioners to build a foundational understanding. Subsequent phases will explore the work of impact/social value professionals and engage with their stakeholders and beneficiaries for broader perspectives.
Here’s how you can get involved:
Study 1 (Now–February 2025): We are seeking practitioners willing to participate in interviews to share their experiences and insights on managing social value. (Already contacted by email. If you have not received an email and should have, please contact eimear.davis@socialvalueuk.org)
Study 2 (March–May 2025): Professionals working in impact and social value will be invited to collaborate and provide access to their networks.
Study 3 (Mid–Late 2025): Stakeholder and beneficiary surveys will gather diverse viewpoints to enrich the findings.
By participating, you’ll contribute to shaping the future of social value practice and gain early access to the insights and findings, which we will disseminate widely at the end of next year.
If you’re interested in participating or would like more details, including the full research proposal, please contact eimear.davis@socialvalueuk.org. Please see attached document for further details.
Together, we can advance the field and create a clearer understanding of social value’s role in driving meaningful change.
To feed into our next issue, please contact info@socialvalueuk.org.
The Institute for Social Value Team.
