GPSJ - SPRING 2025 - Flipbook - Page 41
SOCIAL VALUE
GPSJ
How social value is reshaping public
spending Joel Smith, Head of Public Sector & Defence at Atos UK&I
UK government procurement
is no longer just about
securing the lowest price or
the most e昀케cient service.
Today, it is about delivering
social value, creating positive
economic, environmental, and
societal impacts alongside
core contract deliverables.
A minimum of 10% of bid
scoring has been allocated to
social value considerations
for several years, reinforcing
the government’s commitment
to ensuring public spending
bene昀椀ts communities,
supports sustainability, and
drives inclusive growth. With
the Procurement Act 2023 now
in force and a revised Social
Value Model (PPN 002) set to
take e昀昀ect in October 2025,
this focus is set to continue.
At the forefront of this shift,
Atos has demonstrated how
embedding social value into
procurement can lead to
meaningful change. Our recent
£150 million contract win with
DEFRA to transform end-user
services is a prime example of
how businesses can align with
government priorities while
delivering measurable societal
bene昀椀ts.
What is social value in
procurement?
Social value refers to the
additional bene昀椀ts a contract
can bring beyond its primary
purpose, whether that’s creating
jobs, reducing carbon emissions,
supporting underrepresented
groups or strengthening local
economies. The concept was
昀椀rst enshrined in UK law through
the Social Value Act 2012, which
required public sector buyers
to consider social impact when
awarding contracts.
The Procurement Act 2023 has
taken a signi昀椀cant step forward
by making social value a core
objective. Social value must
be embedded throughout the
entire contract lifecycle, rather
than being considered only at
the bidding stage. Additionally,
contracts are now required to
align with the government’s
broader mission-driven priorities,
including economic growth, clean
energy and reducing inequality.
The upcoming Social Value
Model (PPN 002), e昀昀ective
from October 2025, reinforces
this by encouraging all public
sector bodies, not just central
government, to adopt best
practices. It also allows for higher
social value weightings in bids,
meaning companies that excel in
this area gain a competitive edge.
For organisations to truly
embed social value, rather than
treat it as a box-ticking exercise,
they must align initiatives with core
business strategies and missiondriven outcomes. This means
moving beyond isolated CSR
projects and instead integrating
social impact into procurement,
operations, and partnerships.
Suppliers, for example, should
focus on sustainable, placebased impact, ensuring national
programmes deliver measurable
local bene昀椀ts, such as using
digital inclusion metrics tied to
deprivation indices. By leveraging
existing tech capabilities (e.g.,
designing low-carbon IT solutions
or upskilling disadvantaged
groups through digital training),
companies can create scalable,
long-term value rather than one-o昀昀
gestures. Crucially, cross-sector
collaboration, such as cascading
social value requirements through
supply chains or co-developing
initiatives with public bodies,
ensures e昀昀orts are ampli昀椀ed rather
than siloed.
Delivering social value at
DEFRA
Atos is a leader in social
value-driven procurement,
integrating sustainability, diversity,
accessibility and community
Joel Smith
impact into its operations.
Our solution for DEFRA goes
beyond IT e昀케ciency, placing
sustainability and accessibility
at its core. Rather than simply
replacing outdated devices,
the company prioritises repair
and refurbishment, signi昀椀cantly
reducing e-waste. When hardware
can no longer be used, it is
donated to charities and social
enterprises, extending its lifecycle
and bene昀椀ting communities. To
further minimise environmental
impact, Atos reduces packaging
and shipments, helping to lower
carbon footprints. We provide
unique capabilities in delivering
accessible and inclusive employee
experiences including advising,
testing and delivering services that
dramatically improve compatibility,
interoperability and compliance for
an inclusive workplace.
Additionally, as part of our
sustainable workplace solutions,
Atos runs a vocational training
programme for prison inmates,
teaching them device dismantling
skills that improve employment
prospects and help reduce
reo昀昀ending rates.
These initiatives not only
support DEFRA’s environmental
mission but our wider work also
contributes to broader societal
goals.
The future of social value in
procurement
The Procurement Act 2023 and
the new Social Value Model mean
social value is not just “nice-tohave”, it’s a strategic imperative.
Atos’s success with DEFRA
proves that social value and
commercial success go hand in
hand. By aligning with government
missions, leveraging partnerships
and embedding sustainability
into operations, businesses can
win contracts while making a real
di昀昀erence.
The UK’s evolving procurement
landscape demands more than
just cost e昀케ciency, it demands
purpose. The message is clear:
Social value isn’t just policy; it’s
the future of procurement. And
those who embrace it, as Atos
has, will lead the way.
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL SPRING 2025
41
