Social Value

Hertfordshire Futures has partnered with Watford Borough Council to pilot the Employment, Skills and Social Value (ESSV) Framework and supporting service in the local area over 2026/27, strengthening the council's approach to ensuring that every pound spent delivers real value for the borough.

Hertfordshire Futures delivers this service, working with employers to develop their ESSV delivery plan, co-ordinate its delivery, and monitor its impact to ensure local priorities are met.

What is social value?

Hertfordshire Futures defines social value as the additional economic, social, and environmental benefits generated through public sector activities, beyond the core purpose of a contract or service. It includes supporting local employment and supply chains, empowering communities, and promoting environmental sustainability.

It is our vision that social value is embedded into Hertfordshire’s major planning developments and procurement processes, co-designed with our residents and communities to generate genuine and measurable benefits and foster a vibrant and inclusive county.

Hertfordshire Futures uses a bespoke version of the National TOMs (Themes, Outcomes, and Measures) framework to measure the social value created by contractors. The TOMs framework provides a standard approach to measuring social value, to allow comparisons of outcomes across different projects and contracts.

We will report social value outcomes through the Social Value Portal - a digital platform that helps us to capture, monitor, and report on the social value created. Using the TOMs framework and the Social Value Portal, we can demonstrate the impact of our procurement activities on the community. This ensures that we deliver value for money.

Hertfordshire Futures recognises the critical role that social value plays and how working collaboratively with suppliers can positively impact our communities while delivering value for every public pound spent.