Social Value

In December 2025, Bradford Council’s refreshed Social Value Policy was approved by the Executive and replaces the 2018 Social Value and Inclusive Growth Policy. The updated policy allows us to accelerate our social, economic and environmental impacts through our local spend across the Bradford District. By embedding this approach, we can create a lasting and positive impact across the Bradford District.

What you'll find on this page

What is Social Value?
Bradford Council’s Refreshed Social Value Policy
How the Policy is applied
Delivery partners
Contact details

What is Social Value?

Social value refers to the positive impact organisations can have on communities that extend beyond the contract’s day-to-day responsibilities. It redefines “value for money” from cost-saving to value adding. Ultimately, social value moves beyond using money as the main indicator of value and instead puts emphasis on community impact and wellbeing.
It’s not just ‘social’ impact, it is economic and environmental benefits too, for people, for the local economy and for the physical environment.

Bradford Council’s Refreshed Social Value Policy

Our refreshed Social Value Policy has been designed to provide a flexible and proportionate approach that can be applied appropriately across the Council’s diverse range of contracts.

The updated policy:

Aligns with current legislation and recognised social value best practice.
Provides greater flexibility to suit the Council’s wide range of contracts and services.
Enables the measurement of social value impact through both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Encourages a locally focused approach to delivering social value outcomes.
Strengthens collaboration with suppliers, voluntary organisations and local partners to maximise community benefits.

Bradford Council Social Value Policy 2025

Bradford Council Social Value Policy explained

How the Policy is applied

To support the management, monitoring, measurement and reporting of social value, the Council has adopted a set of nationally recognised social value measures. Commissioners and procurement officers will select the most relevant measures when developing tender opportunities. These measures have been aligned with our District’s priorities, helping to ensure that social value outcomes contribute directly to the needs of our communities.

Social value commitments will be evaluated through both:

Quantitative measures: the financial value and impact generated through agreed social value activities.
Qualitative measures: the quality and credibility of the supplier’s delivery plan and approach.

In application, social value will be worth a minimum of 10% of Bradford Council’s evaluation decision.

For contracts with a value of under £100,000: the inclusion of social value targets is highly encouraged but not mandatory. Commissioners and procurement officers may choose to include social value commitments where they are relevant and proportionate to the contract.
For contracts with a value of over £100,000: the inclusion of social value is mandatory. These contracts must include at least one measure related to ‘Employment and Skills’, such as the creation of apprenticeships, work placements or work experience opportunities, to help support local employment and skills development across the Bradford District.

Useful resources

Delivery partners

We encourage our suppliers to align their social value efforts with our local delivery partners and to work collaboratively with us on the design and delivery of their initiatives. By working together, we can create greater positive outcomes, simplify processes and ensure that our Bradford District communities benefit from meaningful social value initiatives.

Contact details

In the first instance please contact your Council contract manager, or tender point of contact, for more information on social value.

However, our small Council social value team would also be delighted to offer information, advice and guidance on social value more generally – please email social.value@bradford.gov.uk and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.