As public procurement continues to evolve, social value is no longer a peripheral concern. It’s now a defining element of how contracts are awarded and delivered. In sectors such as construction, infrastructure and rail, regional authorities are placing increasing weight on suppliers’ ability to contribute to local economic development, inclusive employment and skills growth.
For businesses navigating this changing landscape, the challenge lies in translating social value policy into practical, measurable action. That’s where high-quality, outcomes-focused training provision can play a transformative role.
“Public procurement has the power to improve lives,” says the Local Government Association. “By using their purchasing power strategically, councils can influence local employment, reduce inequalities and support community resilience.” (LGA, Social Value in Procurement, 2022).
At ETS, we’ve seen firsthand how aligning employer led training with social value aims can deliver benefits on both sides. Through Skills Bootcamps and sector, specific programmes, we support employers in providing local people with accredited training, confidence and clear routes into sustainable employment. Crucially, this work is not abstract. It is embedded in local economic priorities and supports businesses in demonstrating genuine, place, based impact.
The Tender Landscape: Social Value as a Deciding Factor
Regional tenders, particularly those issued through local authorities or devolved bodies, increasingly include social value criteria that carry substantial weight in evaluation. These may include:
- Providing job opportunities for unemployed residents
- Supporting people with barriers to work
- Delivering training and skills aligned with local industry needs
- Engaging with local schools, colleges, or voluntary groups
ETS’s experience delivering government-funded programmes across Kent and the wider South East positions us as a credible partner in this landscape. Our training does not exist in isolation, it is shaped by employer need and local workforce priorities, such as the Kent & Medway Employment Plan.
What makes social value delivery meaningful, however, is not just the numbers, it’s the integration of skills into a business’s core operation. When companies embed training and progression opportunities into their supply chain and project delivery models, they move from box, ticking to value creation.
Strategic Skills Planning as Social Value
This is where a shift in mindset becomes essential. Social value is often treated as an add, on, delegated to bid writers and compliance teams. But forward, thinking businesses are approaching it as a strategic investment, embedding local training and employment into their delivery plans from the outset.
Lee Johnson, CEO of ETS, argues that this change is long overdue:
“Businesses that take social value seriously are not just winning more contracts, they’re building better teams, stronger community relationships and more resilient operations. Skills are the thread that ties all of that together.”
Regional authorities recognise this. In its recent Framing Kent’s Future, Kent County Council highlighted the need to “harness the power of employers in co, designing training that delivers for the local economy and for local people”.
This isn’t about ticking off quotas, it’s about demonstrating commitment to place, people and long-term outcomes. Companies that can show clear links between their workforce needs and community benefit are not only more competitive in procurement, but they’re also more impactful in delivery.
Building Local Legacies
Ultimately, delivering social value through skills is about legacy. Rail and construction projects, by their nature, leave a physical mark on a place, but through training, employment and upskilling, they can also leave a social and economic legacy that lasts for decades.
ETS continues to work alongside employers, councils and community partners to help turn policy into practice. We’re not just training individuals, we’re helping businesses shape the future workforce, fulfil their social value commitments and contribute meaningfully to regional growth.
In a competitive tendering environment, that’s more than a compliance exercise, it’s a strategic advantage.
