What is social value?
Social value encompasses the broader positive impact organisations create in the communities in which they operate. It considers social, economic, and environmental outcomes and quantifies the benefits organisations bring to society as a whole.
Crucially, it captures the value organisations generate beyond what they are paid to deliver.
For third sector organisations like Career Connect, where social value is integral to the services we provide to schools, local authorities, and prisons, measuring and demonstrating this value presents a unique challenge.
How do we measure social value?
To estimate Career Connect’s social value in monetary terms, we use the TOMs (Themes, Outcomes, and Measures) calculator, a standardised tool developed by Social Enterprise UK and the National Council for Voluntary Organizations (NCVO).
By identifying relevant themes, outcomes, and measures specific to various sectors and areas of our work, the calculator provides a methodology for quantifying the monetary value of our social value outcomes.
In 2024/25, we created £8.8million of Social Value through:
- Promoting local skills and employment through the creation of apprenticeships, training opportunities and providing a Real Living Wage to our staff
- Supporting responsible regional business growth through our support for mental health and wellbeing initiatives, equality and diversity, both for Career Connect and our local supply chains
- Cultivating healthier, safer, and more resilient communities; and through our Beneficiary Fund
- Decarbonising and safeguarding our environment through a range of initiatives to reduce our environmental impact
Committed to our planet
We remain on track to achieve our near-term carbon reduction targets and net zero by 2040, with an 18.8% reduction in total carbon footprint emission (tonnes CO2e) in 2023/24* compared to the previous year. These figures cover scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
Meanwhile, our carbon intensity (tonnes of C02e per full term equivalent staff member) has seen a 22.6 reduction.
We were proud to have been awarded a silver accreditation from Positive Planet, and a bronze accreditation from the Carbon Literacy Organisation for our work.
*Positive Planet measurements use figures from the previous year